The thirty-first 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!
Name: Kyle Crump
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
School Name: Hickory Ridge High School
Section: Alto Saxophone
What made you decide to apply to be a part of the band?
I have been given the great opportunity to attend the Music for All Summer Symposium for the past three years. I was able to experience what happens when you put the most dedicated people together to accomplish something, and I thought the Honor Band would be a great way to do that, but also with a bunch of great friends I met in Indiana.
What part of the trip are you most excited about?
Definitely seeing all my friends I have met through the years at Summer Symposium. Also meeting some great people who may have not ever been to Summer Symposium. It’s a great way to meet people who all love doing similar things, while making some lifetime friends in the process.
What are three things you’ve learned from being involved in band?
Self-discipline, is a lesson that I don’t just use for band. When you have people look up to you and hold you to a higher standards, it helps. Keeps you working when no one is watching and helps you push yourself to be better. A Trophy means nothing. You can go out and compete to win or you can go out to have a fantastic run. In the end, if you leave knowing you did everything you could, the results usually take care of themselves and you have a fantastic time. This world is tiny. Everyone knows what I mean when I say if you see a DCI jacket, you immediately have something to talk about. You never know where you will meet people that share the same interests as you. I ran into a staff member for Carolina Crown at the rock climbing gym I go to. He saw my Vic Firth lanyard and it seemed like we had known each other for months just because we could relate to each other.
Most memorable moment in band?
My most memorable moment was probably taking my senior pin off my uniform this past Friday after we had our last home football game. This pin might be tiny, but it shows what I put into my band. Five years starting out as an 8th grader who struggled to march in step and forgot drill spots during my first halftime show. Now as a senior Drum Major being apart of a legacy that I decided stay with, taking that pin off and earning it has been my most memorable moment.
Besides band, what are you involved in at school?
Other than all the other band classes I am in such as Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band, small ensembles, I am apart of a few honor societes and play Saxophone sometimes at my school’s YoungLife clubs.
What’s your favorite book?
The Martian
What’s your favorite song or piece of music?
With Heart and Voice, our Wind Ensemble played it past year for festival and got straight superiors. Being apart of a band that can just enjoy making and learning to conduct it are probably the reasons I love it.
Favorite movie?
Inception
Favorite ice cream flavor?
Chocolate Moose Tracks
What’s your current plan for what you want to do after graduating high school?
My current plan is to do what I love. Too many things interest me to decide on a major, until I take my first real college class.
Have you participated in MFA/BOA events before? Which ones?
My band has participated in a few BOA super regionals and it is nice to see how we stack up against a national standard. As mentioned before, I have been to the Music for All Summer Symposium a total of three times.
Tell us something interesting/unique about you:
If I’m not at band, work or sleeping, I’m rock climbing. I love being able to put in headphones and climb and not have to worry about anything. It’s peaceful. You are in control and if you make a mistake, you can seriously hurt yourself or someone else. It also is a great way to work out, which keeps me in shape.
