Soren Ryu

Name: Soren Ryu

Grade: 9th

Instrument: Tenor Saxophone 

Future College: Undecided

Future job: Armed Forces

Years of experience: 4 years

Inspiration: Jazz music

Favorite musician: Patrick Bartley or Dexter Gordon

Wingspan: What made you choose your instrument?

Ryu: “Because the saxophone is such an integral part of jazz, I chose it so I would have the freedom of playing different styles of music. Specifically, I chose the tenor saxophone because I was inspired by Dexter Gordon. His passion for the saxophone really inspired me.”

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

Ryu: “I played the piano when I was young which helped me realize my passion for music, especially jazz. Also being in band allows me to be amongst people who also like music.”

Wingspan: How does band impact your daily life?

Ryu: “Band is a very social extracurricular activity, so it definitely increases my connections. Band has also introduced a lot of opportunities for me, such as the Texas All-Star Jazz camp.”

Wingspan: Are you considering continuing band beyond? Why?

Ryu: “I want to continue band in high school because it gives me more opportunities such as competing in state-level competitions.”

Wingspan: What are your personal goals for this year?

Ryu: “This year, I want to become a better player, so I can have more opportunities to play in jazz groups.”

Wingspan: What is your favorite thing about band?

Ryu: “My favorite thing about band is that it keeps me socially active. I feel like a lot of high school students don’t have good support groups, so I am grateful to have band as a support system.”

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

Ryu: “During marching season, it’s a lot busier, so I have to make sure to get all of my work done for the day before band rehearsals.”

Wingspan: What’s your favorite memory of band?

Ryu: “My favorite memory of band was playing in the All-Religion Band in 8th grade.”

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

Ryu: “If you want to improve, you need to implement a practice schedule. You can’t get away with just playing during band rehearsals.”

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

Ryu: “If I had to choose a different instrument, I would choose the trumpet because it has a variety of uses in musical composition.”