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My high school was so new that I was in the second graduating class. By the time I started attending 9th grade, I had been playing the clarinet for nine years and, upon arrival in the band, I was seated as 1st chair clarinet. Our concert/marching band was so small .. (How small was it?) .. that, while we had seven trombones and nine trumpets, there was no baritone and no tuba in the band. Our band instructor told us that, without a tuba player, we would not be competing in the annual State band competitions.

So, over the next couple of months, I spent my lunch hour and one hour after classes down in the band room with a sousaphone and sheet music learning to play the tuba/sousaphone, all 5'6" and 125 pounds of me. By football season, I had learned it well enough to march with the band ... by band competition time, we received all 1's in the competition.

Playing the tuba at Michigan Boys' State that year, I received the Outstanding Bandsman Award. I was also nominated for and received the John Philip Sousa National Band Award that year.

I guess, if you really want to be noticed, be the only tuba/sousaphone player in the band ...

By the time I graduated, I was also playing baritone sax in the Jazz/Stage Band ...