AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

The baritone is like a miniature tuba.

Eighth Grade. Today as I enter eight grade, I see big improvements in my skills.

My band teacher has invited me to play the baritone at school because there weren't enough people signed up to play it.

The baritone is like a miniature tuba. It has a deeper sound than the trumpet but still has three valves.

Now I can play the trumpet, the baritone...and the recorder!

Practice fuels the journey

I haven't always enjoyed practicing because playing with friends is more fun.

Practicing, however, is the fuel for all of my improvements so I do my best to squeeze in practice time.

Practicing to improve

Musicians must practice regularly to improve their skills and may study privately with an accomplished musician, in a college or university music program, or in a music conservatory.

You need to know about a wide range of musical styles but be skilled in one particular style. If you train in a variety of styles, such as jazz, rock, etc., and if you are skilled at playing a variety of instruments, like the flute or trumpet, you can get hired for several different jobs.

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The life of a professional musician.

The life of a professional musician

This is hard work!

Many musicians perform in nightclubs and restaurants where people smoke cigarettes, which affects their health (and the smell!)

They have to spend their remaining time practicing, rehearsing, and traveling.

Musicians with symphony orchestras or television and film production companies work steadily and travel less.

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Practicing even helped me with a competition in my literature class!

We had a talent show called Frog Idol (like American Idol) where students shared their talents and the winners moved on to the final round. I practiced hard for the whole week before the competition.

My hard practice paid off because I was selected as one of the finalists. Even though I didn't win the competition, I was happy that I played my trumpet well enough to be a finalist.

The journey never ends
I enjoy playing music whether I earn money or not.

Maybe one day I will be a great trumpet player and others will pay money to listen to and enjoy my songs.

Maybe I will be invited to play the national anthem at a baseball game.

Maybe I will play in the band at college.

"Play" money?

In 2002, wages for musicians ranged from $18,160 to $96,250.

Pay often depends on the number of hours and weeks worked, a performer's professional reputation, and the setting.

The most successful musicians earn performance or recording fees that bring in above average earnings.

Jobs for musicians are competitive.

Talent alone is no guarantee of success: many people start out to become musicians, but leave the profession because they find the work difficult, the discipline demanding, and the long periods of unemployment difficult.

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I'm not sure what my future has in store or where my trumpet will take me.

Whether I earn money from it or not, I enjoy playing the trumpet and, by learning to read music, I have actually learned another language.

How cool is that?

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