Base clarinet player Shelby May is passionate about band. It’s one of the classes she held an A in throughout her learning career. Shelby has been in band since 5th grade. She feels band is the only class she has ever felt like she could truly express herself in.

“Have something to lean back on, it’s a great thing,” May said.

She practices about an hour a day. Shelby doesn’t really think playing her instrument outside of school as practice.

“More of a hobby as well as a stress reliever,” May said.

Other times she practices are with the band as a whole, before fall, winter and spring concerts in the PAC as well as Grizzly period or during the band class itself.

Most of Shelby’s closest and long term friends are ones she met in band. For example her, friend Isabelle Tyyska. Isabelle plays the flute, piccolo and baritone saxophone. They met freshman year through mutual friends in band; when those friends started to drop out of band they stayed close.

Shelby believes that Mr. Morris deserves a lot more respect and recognition then he gets, with leading all 3 bands, Concert, Symphonic & Wind Ensemble. Shelby has always wanted to be in Wind Ensemble but never tried out. Morris finally just threw her in there anyways.

“That is just one way Mr. Morris has show compassion and kindness towards me,” May said.

There are several concerts throughout the year but some of Shelby’s favorites are Fall, Halloween and Spring. She likes the varity of music the different concerts contain. Some of her favorite songs to play are “Some Suites”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Shelby likes that in some concerts such as the Halloween concert they play more uplifting music versus the spring play where they play more serious music.