// upright bass, since 3rd grade

The Musician

What started as an elementary school fascination with playing the biggest instrument in my class soon turned into something bigger. I did both classical orchestra and jazz — but it's jazz I loved completely: the impromptu nature of it, the lightness, the laughs, the fun, and the agency to improvise and experiment right alongside the rest of the band.

9+years on upright bass
2×weekly rehearsals, Milton Jazz Band
// from classical to jazz

Finding the agency to improvise

I started upright bass in 3rd grade and only played classical music until I joined Milton Academy's middle school jazz band in 8th grade. I did both classical orchestra and jazz, but jazz is what stuck — the improvisation, the looseness, the laughs, the fun of it, next to a bassist's role in classical orchestra that's typically much narrower and more repetitive. Since then, I've played upright bass in Milton's Jazz Band, meeting twice a week as part of my class schedule and performing roughly every two months.

A young me posing with my upright bass at home
// summer intensive · grade 10

NEC Jazz Lab

A one-week intensive at New England Conservatory — mornings practicing with my assigned jazz ensemble, afternoons in workshops, days running 8am to 8pm, capped by a weekend performance. I went in as one of the weaker players there, surrounded by people with far more jazz experience — and came out having connected with the music in a way I hadn't before.

// New Orleans

Jazz Education Network Conference

I traveled to New Orleans with Milton's Jazz Band for the Jazz Education Network Conference — a chance to hear and learn from jazz musicians and educators from around the country. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for the elements of jazz and the history behind them. I saw more talented bassists there than I ever had before, all in one place. It was humbling and inspiring to see how much further there is to grow.

Photos from the New Orleans trip are on the way.
// on stage & at home

Field footage

Jazz band rehearsal on stage Practicing upright bass at home Jazz band performance A young me practicing upright bass at home, next to a door labeled AARAV A youth orchestra group with string basses Me as a little kid playing a toy guitar Me next to the giant guitar at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Practicing upright bass at home