The seventieth installment of a new series on the blog that we will be posting throughout the month of December. As some of you are aware, Music for All will be taking an Honor Band to the 2017 Rose Parade. Our members were selected by audition for the ensemble and come from all across the United States. We are looking forward to coming together for the first time as a band at the end of December and we hope this series will allow us all to get to know some (hopefully most!) of the members of this awesome ensemble!

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Name: Benjamin Heidloff

Hometown: Grayslake, IL

School Name: Grayslake Central High School

Section: Alto Sax

What made you decide to apply to be a part of the band?
At the Summer Symposium, I saw how excited the Music For All staff was for the parade, even though it was still a year and a half away at that point. I had such a great time at each of the Summer Symposium’s each year, and knew being a part of the band was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

What part of the trip are you most excited about?
Being surrounded by people from across the country that are as passionate about marching band as I am.

What are three things you’ve learned from being involved in band?
1. How to both give and take constructive criticism effectively.
2. Attitude is one of the most important factors to ensuring success.
3. The importance of persevering through obstacles, no matter what they are or how imposing they may seem.

Most memorable moment in band?
At our final competition of the season, the judges forgot to tally one of our subscores into the overall total. Despite our amazing performance, we thought we ranked in the bottom of our division. Once the score was properly totaled a day later, we placed second, less than a point and a half behind the first place school. When the director made the announcement about the scoring error in band the following day, the room was ecstatic. This was my most memorable moment- witnessing the entire band go from disappointment of how the season ended to electric in the matter of a sentence.

Besides band, what are you involved in at school?
I am a Captain of the Debate Team, an Officer in my school’s chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, a peer tutor in the school math resource center, and I’m in the National Honor Society.

What’s your favorite book?
Avalon by Mindee Arnett

What’s your favorite song or piece of music?
The Room Where It Happens by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Favorite movie?
Sky High

Favorite ice cream flavor?
Cookies and Cream

What’s your current plan for what you want to do after graduating high school?
I receive results for most of my college applications in mid-late March, so I’ll find out then! My current plan is to attend school on the East Coast, hopefully in Washington, D.C.

Have you participated in MFA/BOA events before? Which ones?
I’ve attended the 39th, 40th, and 41st Music for All Summer Symposiums. I’ve been in the Leadership Camp all three years, I was in the Marching track my second year, and was in the Drum Major Institute my most recent year.

Tell us something interesting/unique about you:
I may or may not have memorized all 20,520 words in the Hamilton musical.

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