Band Prize Winner

Congratulations to Meredith Lima!

In December 2020, the School Band and Orchestra Magazine sponsored an essay for students grades 4 - 12. The subject was "How Has Music Helped You in the Pandemic?" Meredith Lima (Grade 7) entered the contest, along with 2,000 other students from around the country. Five essays were chosen from 4 - 8 grade level, and five from the 9 - 12 grade level. Meredith was one of the essays chosen from her bracket. Meredith will receive $1,000 and the St. Gabriel Band will also receive $1,000 in merchandise from Nottelmann Music Company.

Here is Meredith's Essay:

Music is the universal language that all souls will connect to, even if it's in different ways a language I am versed in that I have only recently begun to share with other ears freely. My instrument to speak this language is the also saxophone which I've played for 3 years now with instruction, and as with anything I have to practice it outside of the initial activity itself. The dark and slightly dank basement of my house is where I practice - there's a door near the general area where I practice and it leads to the backyard, which leads to the alley where people tend to walk by a lot. That door always used to be closed because I just wanted the melodic words to myself, being afraid of what would happen if people heard my somewhat faulty speaking. Not caring what people think is on of the hardest life lessons to learn; it is now one I would like to say that I have learned. Let them all condemn my flat-sounding notes if they so choose. Now when it's not too hot or cold, I open the basement door and let the pitches I play tiptoe their way out into the world and the ears of the passersby, so that they may hopefully enjoy something extra that day. When I used to hoard, I now let it all go, neatly tumbling out. After all, in this pandemic we should share with the less fortunate what we can.

Meredith Lima 

Grade 7, Age:  12

Instrument:  Alto Saxophone