Instruments

Saxophone
The sax is my primary instrument. I started playing in the middle school band when I was 11 years old, and have continued straight through to this day. It's what I usually play when I perform in public or with a group. By no means am I an expert, but I feel I'm proficient and could hang in an ensemble. I've played all four major saxes, but the tenor is my favorite.

Trombone
I first learned trombone when I realized that knowing it could get me into the university big band. It was so much fun, I found myself playing it instead of saxophone as a teacher. Unfortunately, I never got good enough at reading bass clef to try out for the jazz band, and have only gotten to play sporadically since college.

Piano
Every musician has to know piano. I first demonstrated that I could pick out notes at age seven, but didn't take any actual lessons until college. Now I can run scales and play a melody, but putting both hands together is still a challenge.

Flute
One of the tunes I played in jazz band called for me to double on flute, so I had a friend of mine teach me how to play. The director never thought I was good enough to actually play it in concert, but flute was fun and I intend to get one of my own someday.

Baritone
I recently joined a senior drum corps. Given my history with the trombone, I elected to pick up the baritone. It is not the same. A baritone has wider piping, and a lot more of it, which makes it harder to play. All the same, I'm getting better at it, and should eventually be able to hold it up for a full twelve minutes.

Cornet
OK, this one doesn't really count. One of my best friends decided upon her most recent move that she wasn't ever going to play the cornet again and that I would be a better owner for it. Unfortunately, it came with no frills -- specifically, no mouthpiece. So I have the horn in my closet, but have yet to actually practice it.

Groups

The Sun Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
In the most famous North American drum corps organization, DCI, you can't continue playing once you're older than 21. The Sun Devils is a DCA corps, open to all ages and (fortunately for me) playing abilities. I'm a charter member of the corps, and it's great fun while still occasionally making me wonder what the hell I've gotten myself into. My goal is to learn how it works and then start a corps of my own in New Mexico.

University of New Mexico Alumni Band
Everyone's a Lobo, or so the chant goes. I'm proud of my long involvement with the UNM spirit and pep bands, so every chance I get I perform with this group. It doesn't happen often (and even less now that I'm living across the country), but I relish the opportunity to support my alma mater. The Alumni Band performs at homecoming as well as the occasional holiday basketball game when the marching band has to travel to a bowl game with the football team.

Past Groups and Projects
  • La Cueva High School Bands  I was sax section leader and drill master in the marching band, principal saxophone in the wind ensemble, first chair alto sax in the concert band, and lead alto in the jazz band. Later I went back and served the band as assistant director for three years.
  • UNM Spirit Marching Band and Soundpack  This was my fun on-the-side organization while I was in college. The marching band played at home football games; Soundpack at basketball games. I was an unofficial spirit leader because I was in it for so long and because I could yell loud.
  • UNM Jazz Band and Combo  I started as the last saxophone choice for a jazz combo and finished as the lead soloist for the second jazz band. Working with these groups was how I really learned to play.
  • Trash Can Mafia  My first outside-of-school band, this was a ska group assembled for a battle of the bands. Due to jackassery within the rhythm section, though, we never got to perform.
  • AMJ  An acid jazz/ska/funk project that never really got off the ground and died for good when we lost our bass/tubaist to college. AMJ was an abbreviation for an abbreviation of a ridiculously long name which I've since forgotten.
  • Less Than Three  Though it exists in theory only, I have promised to play horns for this group should the Internet implode and we find ourselves together.
  • Heatwave Drum and Bugle Corps  My first experience with senior drum corps -- hell, with any drum corps.