Have you ever been forced to do something by your parents that you didn’t want to do? Well, I was forced to play the clarinet. I thought the clarinet was some girly instrument and was going to be really easy to play. I was wrong. I still think it is a girly instrument, but I know now it is not as easy as I thought it would be to play. This is my third year playing, and I am still having problems perfecting my ability to play certain notes. My mom and dad made me play the clarinet because I had asthma .They thought it would somehow help by making my lungs stronger or something like that. Fortunately, they were right; my asthma is a lot better now, and I don’t have as much of a problem like I used to, and the doctors have noticed too. I started playing when I was in the seventh grade, and my teacher’s name was Mrs. Elizabeth Lockhart.

Mrs. Lockhart went to the University of Delaware. Since graduation, she has taught at George V. Kirk as the band director, music appreciation instructor, and jazz band conductor. Also, Mrs. Lockhart plays many instruments as you would expect from a music teacher. You should hear her play the saxophone and trumpet. I believe she takes pride in what she does. I have also had the pleasure of hearing her sing one year at the award ceremony. She sang the national anthem, and I was surprised; I never knew she could sing too….amazing.

I joined jazz band because I didn’t want to be stuck with a study hall that I didn’t want to be in. I thought that jazz band wouldn’t be as bad; I actually liked it. This was until I got my first solo. I have a problem with underestimating myself at times. I would have never been able to do the solo if it weren’t for her. When I first saw the music I would be playing from, I thought it would be horrible, and I never thought I could do it. If it was not for Mrs. Lockhart, I don’t think I would be as good as I am. A lot of students in jazz band knew I was still a beginner. They thought I would mess everything up for the band and because of me we wouldn’t get a superior rating for our judging at the competition. Mrs. Lockhart had hope in me. She always told me to do my best and to try.

Mrs. Lockhart has made a great impact on my life. Since leaving her class last year I am now in DMA marching band, and I am planning on being in “All-State Band’’ next year. I have thought about maybe one day doing something in the music profession. Maybe being a music teacher may be in my future.. Who knows, but as of now the title of Drum Major looks really good. As a person and just by my music ability Mrs. Lockhart has affected me. There has been many times when I have wanted to quit the clarinet because I thought the music was too hard. Instead of her giving up on me, she would instead help me learn the music so it wouldn’t be as hard anymore. Also, Mrs. Lockhart has always had students here and there who did not like her. In my eyes I see it as a good thing because it means that she is doing her job. She pushing her students to be the best and because of it some of them do not like her. But, one day they will thank her for it. If I could say anything to Mrs. Lockhart I say “Thank You” This is because if she wouldn’t have pushed and encouraged me to learn how to play the clarinet, I wouldn’t have learned how. I would have ended up being one of those people in the crowd at a performance instead of now being the one on stage at a performance.
Doing something you don’t want to do can lead to something great. I never wanted to play the clarinet. Now I am eager to learn new songs. I also don’t know how to thank her enough for teaching me, perhaps this nomination will let her know how grateful I am and how much I appreciate her…it’s going to have to do.