When Trumpet Was the Only Option to Play in Band

by Drew Holmes

We are in the midst of instrument tryout season, the time of year where students who are interested in band or orchestra get to make sounds on instruments for the first time to find the one that they think is right for them. I love helping with this process because that moment when everything clicks and they make a good sound for the first time is real magic.

Tryout events typically have groups of students rotating between various stations to receive rapid instruction on holding an instrument and making a sound. The pace is quick, and each rotation is shorter than anyone would like. The advantage to this style of tryout is the wide exposure students quickly get to a variety of instruments, which creates a good reference for them to choose an instrument.

Years ago, I was assisting with the trumpet station at a tryout event. It was the usual controlled chaos of showing kids how to hold the horn, buzz the mouthpiece, etc. A girl approached to take her turn and I immediately saw the obstacle: she was born without a left hand. Doing some quick math I realized that, since it is the one instrument that can be played with only the right hand, trumpet was her path to play in band. The pressure was now on me. Could I help her make a good sound and feel confident enough to join band as a trumpet player?

The challenge for these rapid style tryouts is the discouragement students sometimes feel when they do not show immediate aptitude for an instrument. Their friend can easily make a sound on it and the disappointment in their own struggle feels like an insurmountable barrier. In this moment I explain to them the difference between two things that are often thought of as the same but are very different: talents and skills.

A skill is the learned ability to do a specific activity while a talent is the natural aptitude for performing that activity. Talent is not skill, but rather the ability to learn the skill faster. That is why surviving on talent alone can only get you so far.

The good news is that skills are learned. In the absence of a true physical impediment, anyone can play any instrument. Someone with less talent may need to work a bit harder to achieve early success, but over time they can develop the necessary skills.

Unfortunately, too often I see kids get discouraged when they are not immediately good at an instrument at a tryout night. I quickly remind them of two things:

1. They’ve been playing it for all of 45 seconds.

2. If it was easy, they would already be doing it!

I want them to try everything in the room and to find the right instrument for them. I want them to come by the store and try the instruments again if necessary to make their decision of what to play. I want them to know that, if they put in the work, they can play any instrument they choose. I want them to succeed.

Assisting our aspiring trumpet player, we figured out the best way for her to hold the horn. I took extra time to make sure she was comfortable and showed her the proper way to buzz the mouthpiece. She was full of confidence and I sent her on her way knowing that the door to participating in band was wide open.

Today, I do not know if she is still playing trumpet or participating in band. But I do know that night we laid the foundation for her to develop the skill of making music and there are no limits to how far she can go.