Olivia Brucker

Grade: 12th

Future job: Lawyer or nurse practitioner

Year Playing: 7 years

Wingspan: What made you choose the clarinet?

Brucker: “I’m not from here. My band directors chose it for me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way because i’m so happy with the section and the love and compassion that we all share.”

Wingspan: When did you learn of your interest in music? How has that changed you?

Brucker: “My uncle has a doctorate in music, so he conducts choirs. I started in 4th grade with choir and moved up until 6th grade with band. From there, it was a matter of inverting myself back into the music in a different style. So when I started playing an instrument it was like ‘wow it’s not just my voice that can make music. It’s my fingers and my air.’ There’s so many different things that make up an instrument, which I found fascinating.”

Wingspan: What is your inspiration?

Brucker: “I look up most to my mom, which is cliche, but she has done so much. She has like five or six degrees because she keeps pushing herself to go back to college and keep doing what she wants. She started as a nurse and then realized she wanted to do more. She was 40 and had four kids. She was supporting the whole family and she decided ‘you know what I want a bigger profession. I want to do more. I want to save more lives.’ So she went to college, Duke University, completely paid for in scholarships.”

Wingspan: How do you prepare for a concert?

Brucker: “I prep my music and I calm myself because if I overprep myself then I get nervous and I just have fun. I watch the director, I calm myself down, and I play what i’m supposed to play.”

Wingspan: How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

Brucker: “You just push past them. You can’t dwell on them and you have to keep moving on. Looking back, you can learn from it but you can’t change it.”

Wingspan: How does band affect your everyday life?

Brucker: “Especially during the fall season, it makes things a lot more stressful because there’s such regiment with practicing and having your music. So practicing not only in the time they give you but outside on your own time. Making sure you have the music down. Concert season as well. Having that music prepared and ready for the directors and upholding that standard that you set yourself and going above it. It can be very stressful, but looking back during spring season once it’s slowed down, it’s so worth it.”
Wingspan: Do you view music as a way to express yourself?
Brucker: “Absolutely. Playing through music, especially if it’s a slow lyrical piece, I become one with the music, i feel at peace and i think ‘you go Mozart!’

Wingspan: Are you considering this as a career why or why not?

Brucker: “I’m actually not. I love music but it’s not one of my main passions in life. I’d rather use music as a hobby to inspire myself and possibly my children or my family, but as far as my future i’d rather use my voice to inspire others”

Wingspan: If you had to pick another instrument to play, what would it be?

Brucker: “The original instrument that I wanted to play was saxophone, so I was really bummed when I couldn’t get to chose it. Actually the girl who got saxophone at my old school, her parents called and bragged on her.”

Wingspan: How do you balance band and your extracurriculars?

Brucker: “Just setting aside a schedule and keeping myself in check with that schedule. Making sure i’m getting enough sleep and actually feeding myself and taking care of myself.”