Help Arjun March Genesis!
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Hello! My name is Arjun Thampi. I am a now alum of the Marcus High School Band who will be attending the University of Oklahoma to study music education with a minor in music composition this upcoming school year. This summer, I am honored to say I have been offered a position to march in the 2022 season of Drum Corps International alongside the World Class Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps from Austin, Texas!
Music arts, specifically the marching arts, have always held a special place in my heart. It allowed me and my friends to share our stories with each other and with the world. My goal as a prospective music educator has always been to try and help others find the same passion for music and to help them strive to reach out and touch the communities around them with the art.
These past few months have been unsurprisingly hectic. Finals, AP tests, and college prep occupied most of my headspace, but what kept me pushing was my love for music. For the past 4 years, the Marcus High School marching band has been an outlet for expression and a conduit for friendship and achievement. However, following the end of my final marching season, I knew I wasn't done. And without hesitation, I picked up mellophone and began practicing day in and day out with the goal of one-day marching drum corps.
I initially didn't have high hopes, as working up skills on a new instrument to the caliber required for drum corps could take several years of hard work. As a result, I settled my sights on the 2023 season of DCI Instead. Word quickly spread through the grapevine between friends and teachers and staff of my dedication to the arts and my desire to pursue music, and before I knew it found itself in the hands of Frank Solis, the brass caption head at the Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, who graciously offered me the opportunity to audition for the corps just weeks ago, ultimately landing me a spot.
The mission statement of Genesis is "education through performance." throughout the season, they teach us not how to be perfect but how to grow and learn. With every step we take and every note we play, we teach ourselves and the world what it means to develop as a musician, a leader, and a human being. Not only am I gracious to take this opportunity to develop skills on a brand new instrument, and develop as a person, but I am almost certain the lessons learned, the people I meet, and the memories I make will prepare me to be the best educator of my ability going forward.
Where is the money going?
Supplemental shopping and an enrollment payment have all come out of pocket. All money sourced from donations will go straight to paying for my corps tuition. This tuition covers all expenses, including (but not limited to): Instrument rental, uniforms, travel, academic staff, food, and housing, both in the initial spring training located in Austin Texas and over the following 8 weeks of travel and performance across the nation.
Music arts, specifically the marching arts, have always held a special place in my heart. It allowed me and my friends to share our stories with each other and with the world. My goal as a prospective music educator has always been to try and help others find the same passion for music and to help them strive to reach out and touch the communities around them with the art.
These past few months have been unsurprisingly hectic. Finals, AP tests, and college prep occupied most of my headspace, but what kept me pushing was my love for music. For the past 4 years, the Marcus High School marching band has been an outlet for expression and a conduit for friendship and achievement. However, following the end of my final marching season, I knew I wasn't done. And without hesitation, I picked up mellophone and began practicing day in and day out with the goal of one-day marching drum corps.
I initially didn't have high hopes, as working up skills on a new instrument to the caliber required for drum corps could take several years of hard work. As a result, I settled my sights on the 2023 season of DCI Instead. Word quickly spread through the grapevine between friends and teachers and staff of my dedication to the arts and my desire to pursue music, and before I knew it found itself in the hands of Frank Solis, the brass caption head at the Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, who graciously offered me the opportunity to audition for the corps just weeks ago, ultimately landing me a spot.
The mission statement of Genesis is "education through performance." throughout the season, they teach us not how to be perfect but how to grow and learn. With every step we take and every note we play, we teach ourselves and the world what it means to develop as a musician, a leader, and a human being. Not only am I gracious to take this opportunity to develop skills on a brand new instrument, and develop as a person, but I am almost certain the lessons learned, the people I meet, and the memories I make will prepare me to be the best educator of my ability going forward.
Where is the money going?
Supplemental shopping and an enrollment payment have all come out of pocket. All money sourced from donations will go straight to paying for my corps tuition. This tuition covers all expenses, including (but not limited to): Instrument rental, uniforms, travel, academic staff, food, and housing, both in the initial spring training located in Austin Texas and over the following 8 weeks of travel and performance across the nation.
Organizer
Arjun Thampi
Organizer
Flower Mound, TX