Laura Chanoux is a potential history major in her first year at the University of Michigan.  She was co-president of the Wind Ensemble her senior year and is currently a member of the University Band and the Michigan Pops Orchestra.

Most of my favorite Lexington High School memories happened in the band room. From meeting some of my best friends during Pep Band freshman year to playing in the pit orchestra for Evita my senior year, the music department was a big part of my high school career. By the time I graduated, I had spent over a year in nearly every band, orchestra, and jazz big band at LHS. When I got to the University of Michigan in the fall of 2007, I knew I wanted to stay involved with music.

At first I was intimidated. U of M is a big school with over 20,000 undergraduates. Immediately I assumed that there would be hundreds of trumpet players to beat me out of spots in any ensembles I auditioned for. At LHS, I had been a good trumpet player, but not the best. I never did districts or other competitions. I figured at Michigan I would be competing with a lot of players who had been involved in All-State Ensembles and were the best in their bands back home. I was worried ensembles would only be for music majors, and that I would not be able to join.

With a little research, however, I found there were certain ensembles at the University dedicated to non-music majors. A couple weeks after classes started, I started auditioning for these groups. I soon realized that the LHS Music Department had prepared me much more than I imagined. I was first chair in the Campus Band in the first semester. When the Marching Band players joined Campus Band second semester, the director split the group into three bands. The University Band was audition-only, and I figured with the Marching Band trumpets, it would be harder for me to get in. I auditioned nonetheless and was placed second chair. The music in the University Band was more challenging, though comparable to some tough pieces I had played at LHS. For example, the University Band played “October” by Eric Whitacre, a piece that I first played three years ago at LHS. While it has been enjoyable to be in a concert band, the campus bands have not had the same camaraderie as the groups at LHS. Everyone is friendly and enjoys playing, but there is not a sense of unity amongst the musicians.

"I soon realized that the LHS Music Department had prepared me much more than I imagined. I was first chair in the Campus Band in the first semester. "

Luckily, I was also accepted into the Michigan Pops Orchestra, a student-run group, who’s dynamic is more what I was accustomed to at LHS, both musically and socially. Everyone works hard in the Pops Orchestra, but has a lot of fun at the same time. While it has been a little intimidating to be the only trumpet player who is not also in the marching band, it’s been fantastic playing with really strong, dedicated musicians. Because the group is entirely student run – it is organized by an executive board and conducted by a graduate student – it’s atmosphere is low-stress. It was competitive to get into the ensemble, but there has not been the same feeling of competition between the players as I remember from LHS. No angling for higher parts, no comparisons of how high you can play – it feels much more relaxed.

22 March 2008