Rachel Chang

Name: Rachel Chang

Grade: 11th

Instrument: clarinet

Future College: UW Seattle, Northeastern, A&M

Future Job: criminal defense attorney

Years in Band: 3

Inspiration: Emma Watson and my parents

Wingspan: What made you choose the clarinet?

Chang: “During the instrument selection, the person assisting me in choosing an instrument told me that I would be good at clarinet so I decided to give it a try even though it wasn’t my first choice.”

Wingspan: What made you want to choose to do band?

Chang: “I knew I wanted to do an instrument but orchestra seemed too competitive and not as fun, so the only other option was band.”

Wingspan: How does band impact your daily life?

Chang: “Especially during marching season, band can sometimes add more stress but it definitely allowed me to experience opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten to experience if I wasn’t in band. It also makes daily life more fun because there are people and activities that I can look forward to seeing.”

Wingspan: Are you considering continuing band beyond? Why?

Chang: “I definitely want to continue throughout high school, but I will most likely stop once I attend college. Band was always meant to be a hobby or a fun extracurricular to do on the side, and although music plays a huge role in my life, it is not something that I want to continue pursuing in the future in terms of a career. So I will not be doing marching band in college or beyond that but I will continue incorporating other forms of music into my life.”

Wingspan: What are your personal goals for this year?

Chang: “In terms of band, I would like to improve my leadership skills because I was able to learn a lot this past year as it was my first time taking on a leadership role in the band. I would also like to branch out more to other people in our band, especially the lowerclassmen.”

Wingspan: What is your favorite thing about band?

Chang: “For me, the music we are able to make is amazing but the people that you get to meet are truly what makes band worth it. If it weren’t for band, I probably would not have many friends from other grade levels besides my own, and you become friends with people who you might never have gotten to know if you hadn’t met them in band.”

Wingspan: How do you balance band, school, and any other extracurriculars?

Chang: “I really try to find time to manage school, band, work, and my other extracurriculars but it can be especially challenging during marching season. Luckily, the directors and my managers are all super flexible and allow me to figure out which things I have to prioritize and which things I shouldn’t put too much stress over.”

Wingspan: What’s your favorite memory of the band?

Chang: “At the end of the season and the end of our very last competition, we did our last chant in the auditorium and it was very bittersweet. It allowed me to truly express my thankfulness for everyone that I had gotten to know and gotten close with this past year. We were all sobbing but it was a feeling I’ll never forget.”

Wingspan: What is your advice to anybody thinking about joining the band?

Chang: “Give it a try. Even if you’re on the fence about it, it really doesn’t hurt to show up to a summer rehearsal. Let yourself be open to others and you will truly have the time of your life with some of the best people you will ever meet in high school.”

Wingspan: If you had to pick a different instrument to play what would it be?

Chang: “This isn’t a band instrument but I would love to play the harp because it sounds so angelic and pretty.”