Our Stories

Jeremiah Encarnacion

Position: Trombone Player /  Major: History Pre-Law Major / Future Aspirations: Professor/Musician

“Everybody needs art in their lives.  I truly believe that you don’t have to just feed the mind, you also have to feed the soul.  You have to have an outlet for your emotions, for who you are to be expressed.  Which is why my favorite thing in music is soloing.  I love improvisation.  It’s almost like I create my own universal space when I solo.  Being in the band with everybody and being a part of something greater than myself, something that we create together, is the best feeling.

Band has truly saved my life.  I don’t think I would be alive if it wasn’t for band. 

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Kyle Snipes

Position: Tuba /  Major: Broadcast Journalism / Future Aspirations: CEO of Mass Media Corporation

It really just came out of nowhere.  It was spring 2017, the end of my junior year in high school.  Around the time I became drum major, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer.  That was an unexpected hit.  I had this really big role to fill, but I also had other things going on at home to deal with.  When it comes to band, it doesn’t matter what you have to do at home, you have to make sure you get your job done at the end of the day.

My job—to figure out my own way to college.