Hi, my name is Jared Bisbikis, I’m an 8th grader at Toyon Middle School and I play bass clarinet. Today I thought I would tell you guys, why music matters to me.

From a young age I had always been fascinated with instruments and music in general. But my real journey with music began in the 2nd grade. When I was in the 2nd grade I attended a small school in Lodi, California. 2nd grade was the year when you got to learn and play with different instruments. Fascinated I quickly caught on with the instruments and by the middle of the year I was playing hot cross buns on the harp and piano, and could not wait until the next music class. For the next year I continued playing around with different types of musical instruments until I left that school and moved to Calaveras County.

When I first got to Calaveras County I found out that when you got to the 5th grade you could play an instrument in a real band! I was ecstatic, I would wait one year until I would get to play, until then I would have weekly music class with Mr. Roberson.

When I started the 5th grade I was so excited because I knew it was the year when I would get to play in the band. On one fall day, I met my first ever music teacher Mr. Wise, on that day Mr. Wise showed us the two different instruments we could play the trumpet and the clarinet. Not knowing which one to play I chose the clarinet simply, because Squidward from Spongebob played it. When we first started learning how to play our instruments, I practiced and practiced simply because I knew it could make me better and maybe one day I could be good enough to play in honor band. Little did I know the next year in the 6th grade I would be in honor band. Also in the 6th grade I took little private lessons by Mr. Roberson on the flute.

Two years later middle school started and I got intermediate band with Mrs. Allured, and let me tell you was I scared. The only time I had saw Mrs. Allured was at honor band and the district festival and for some reason I was very intimidated and scared, little did I know I would meet one of the best and sweetest teachers ever. Mrs. Allured was the complete opposite of what I thought. She’s defiantly one of the biggest reasons I stayed in music, because she would encourage me and tell what was wrong with that measure and explain why. In the middle of my 7th grade year I decided I wanted to play the bass clarinet, so I switched and still continue to play the bass clarinet. Later that year I made the bi-county honor band, 1 out of 2 intermediate students that made it.

This year I still play and plan on playing all high school. And I have been trying to do everything I can do to help our music program. And the one thing I have to say is that music is more than a hobby it’s a passion, a passion I hope to take with me for the rest of my life.