My first artifact will be my clarinet. I have been playing for over eight years now, and I don’t regret a single moment of it. I’ve met so many great people throughout my music journey, and have gone on some amazing adventures. I was a part of the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony from eighth grade to sophomore year, and in my freshman year we got to go on a concert tour to Europe. From junior to senior year, I joined the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, where we went on another amazing concert tour over the summer. In my high school clarinet section, I was the section leader and squad leader, which really pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me to become more confident in myself.
When I first started playing the clarinet, I never realized how much IT could teach ME. It taught me about myself: how to make a commitment to something and stick it out to the end, how to take failure as a learning opportunity, and how to be humble in success yet gracious in defeat. It has granted me opportunities I never imagined. My life would not be where it is today if I hadn’t played the clarinet.
