I chose the trombone because the trombone players in the marching band got to be up front with the majorettes (because of the slides) and I loved that!

A song should have all the color and beauty of every rose.

It has been proven time and time again in countless studies that students who actively participate in arts education are twice as likely to read for pleasure, have strengthened problem-solving and critical thinking skills, are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, four times more likely to participate in a math and science fair.

A person's age can be determined by the degree of pain he experiences when he comes in contact with a new idea.

I've been driven all my life by a spirit of adventure and a criminal level of optimism. I believed in my dreams because they were my only option. The people who make it to the top are addicted to their calling. You have to honor the gift God has given you. The people who get the call are the ones who'd be doing whatever it is they love, even if they weren't being paid.

It's easy to get next to music theory, especially between your peers and music classes and so forth. You just pay attention. I had a good ear, so I realized that printed music was just about reminding you what to play.

I started imagining this whole different world. It was a society of musicians, a family I hoped I could belong to one day.