I had many special experiences while playing in the band. This semester alone our band has played two concerts and one CMEA festival. Our band also had the privilege of having a session with Mr. Smith. Overall, I would like to say that playing in concert band was a fantastic and educational experience. To begin, I will talk about what I learned and experienced when Mr. Smith came to visit me. When he came to visit me, I didn't expect much. I expected him to give us some pointers here and there, to help us improve our music. However, I was wrong. However I was wrong, the advice he gave us had a huge impact on our music, as well as on me. One of the tips that Mr. Smith gave is that when you go from a low note to a high note, you need to have a smooth transition. Another piece of advice given by Mr. Smith was that the music should be played lightly or heavily, depending on the type of song. Overall, Mr. Smith's visit was a great learning experience for me. I learned many things, such as how to think about pieces differently and tips on cleaner and more stable sounds. Even though Mr. Smith was only there for one day, his advice and suggestions seemed to really help me and our band. Additionally, our band held two concerts this semester. During our concert in March I was much more relaxed than at my first concert. I felt I played much better and improved many aspects of my playing. However, I felt I still needed to focus more on my dynamics and listen to the rest of the band. At that concert we played Metrix, Water is Wide, Cold Mountain Saga and Jungle Dance. Overall, our band improved, as we had better dynamics and articulation. However, sometimes we weren't together yet, and sometimes... mid-paper... on Cold Mountain Saga. All in all, CMEA was a special experience and I can't wait for my next festival. Finally, I'm preparing for my band final right now. This is, for me, the scariest time of the year, because I always get extremely nervous. I try to play in front of as many people as possible to calm my nerves. I also constantly record myself to make sure my notes are in tune and my scales are played correctly. I hope all my preparation pays off, because in our last final I played less than stellar and I hope I can improve and learn from that experience. In conclusion, my first year in the band taught me that to be successful you need to work hard and practice. The band was a fun and educational experience, and I learned that I have to be responsible and that I have to keep working hard.