From 9th to 12th grade, I played the clarinet in my school’s marching band, an experience that taught me much more than music.
Our team competed in the California State Western Band Association, where we earned titles such as Grand Champion in both 2022 and 2023.

These achievements didn’t come easily.
Unlike smaller clubs, our band demanded long hours of practice, physical endurance, and constant coordination — not just with instruments, but with people.

What made marching band challenging was not the music itself, but the balance it required in every part of the journey:

Time — balancing schoolwork, rehearsals, and rest.
Physical strength — keeping posture and focus even under the hot California sun.
Communication — learning to listen when others struggled and speak up when guidance was needed.
Team spirit — merging different opinions, tempos, and personalities into one sound.
Leadership and followership — knowing when to lead and when to blend in.

Through these layers of coordination, I came to understand what the Doctrine of the Mean truly means — balance not as stillness, but as motion guided by awareness.
True harmony was found not by avoiding mistakes, but by adjusting together in real time.

Every rehearsal felt like a small experiment in empathy.
When one section faltered, another softened to support; when our energy dropped, someone’s encouragement lifted us back up.
I learned that success wasn’t a straight line — it was a wave that required everyone’s rhythm to stay afloat.

Now, in 2025, as the clarinet section leader, I reflect on these years with gratitude.
Using my experience, I’m conducting small research projects and discussions with new members — exploring how teamwork, discipline, and emotional balance shape not just our sound, but our character.

For me, marching band was never just a competition.
It was a mirror that showed how individual growth and group harmony coexist, teaching me that the most powerful performances — and the most meaningful lives — are built through continuous tuning.