DCAAug 28, 2017 by Michael Gilley
Dear Younger Me: Joel Ignatovich
Dear Younger Me: Joel Ignatovich
We asked Joel Ignatovich to write a letter, in theory, to his younger self and what advice he would give to himself when he was young about his future endeavors as a trumpet player for one of DCA's most renowned corps.
Joel Ignatovich is a member of the Hawthorne Caballeros. We asked Joel to write a letter to his younger self and share what advice he would give to himself about his future endeavors.
Dear Younger Joel,
I know what you're thinking, "Am I going to be able to make the cut?" and, "Is it even worth trying?'"
The drum corps you're considering trying out for, the Hawthorne Caballeros, has awed you ever since you were a kid. You first saw them with your family at the Parade of Champions in Scranton, Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Stadium. The Caballeros' Latin flair sucked you in, and their powerful brass kept you riveted. But it was their trumpets, hamming it up out in front for the crowd, that hooked you and wouldn't let go. From that moment forward, you had one goal: to be a trumpet player who could draw in the crowd the same effortless way the Caballeros' trumpet players did.
When you were growing up, it was never a question of if you were going to make music, only what instrument you were going to play. You quickly latched onto the trumpet as your dream instrument, and you've been playing it for 16 years now. As your elementary and high school band director, your mom always did an excellent job of teaching you and encouraging you, your dad could always be found cheering you on from the sidelines at every one of your concerts and football games, and the director of music at your church gave you the opportunity to be a trumpet soloist.
Two years ago, you made what felt like a very small and inconsequential decision, but it ended up altering the direction of your life. Some friends of yours from the college band you were in at the time invited you to join them at a Skyliners' Drum and Bugle Corps camp one weekend.
Playing trumpet in a competitive marching ensemble was something you'd always dreamed about doing, and the experience was every bit as great as you thought it would be. The atmosphere was so welcoming and family-oriented it was easy for you to fit right in. Simply put, going to the Skyliners' camp blew your mind.
Jazzed that you were able to march with a group as accomplished as this one, you couldn't keep the news to yourself. You wanted your family to share in this incredible journey with you, so you convinced your mother and twin brother to join the group, too.
The two years you spent with the Skyliners have given you a very strong foundation to build on -- you've been a lead player after all -- but you haven't quite reached stardom yet. So it makes sense for you to be a little nervous when your friends encourage you to try out for the Caballeros. You're teetering on the edge, unable to decide whether or not you should make the leap and do it.
I understand why you would doubt whether or not you can cut it as a lead player with a corps like the Caballeros. They're on a different level than the Skyliners, and you've never been very good at auditioning. Remember when you tried out for District Band and placed second to last? You don't even consider yourself to be a very strong player, so I know what you're thinking: "How could I possibly make it as a Caballero?"
But I have some advice for you: Don't doubt yourself and don't let people put you down or limit your abilities. You're a great player, and you have so much potential. From being that starry-eyed kid who showed up on a whim to a drum corps camp to the player you are today, you have grown so much. Just because you don't audition well doesn't mean you aren't a good player or won't succeed in making the team.
The opportunity to join a group like the Caballeros is worth the risk of failure. Working with them will challenge you in ways you never could have imagined. You'll learn new practice regimens and embrace a higher level of discipline. It will also allow you to soar to greater heights than you've ever known before.
You may not know anyone there at first, but that's OK because a big part of drum corps is its family atmosphere, which you first experienced first with the Skyliners. You're going to be surrounded by some incredible people, friends, and teachers alike.
Most importantly, remember to believe in yourself. You may not think so right now, but you have what it takes to make it: a deep love of music and the willingness to do whatever it takes to be great at it.
Photo Credit: Chris Maher - Corpsreps.com
If you don't take the risk and try out for the Caballeros, you will have to live with that decision for the rest of your life. You will be forever haunted by the dreaded "what if" question -- as in, "What if I'd tried out for the team and made it?" There's another "what if" question that disturbs you: "What if you try out and suck at it?" Whenever this one pops into your mind, replace it with this thought instead: "What if you make the team and are amazing?"
In the end, you will never know if you don't try. As Robert F. Kennedy once said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." Trying out for a team as talented as the Hawthorne Caballeros is scary, but preventing yourself from even attempting it is far worse.
Be sure to watch the Hawthorne Caballeros and the Skyliners at the 2017 DCA Championships on September 2-3, exclusively on FloMarching.
How to Watch
ON TV: Available on Roku and Apple TV 4 -- download the FloSports app now.
STREAMING: Only on FloMarching with a PRO subscription. A yearly PRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. Join Now
• Follow us on Instagram @FloMarching
• Follow us on Facebook
Dear Younger Joel,
I know what you're thinking, "Am I going to be able to make the cut?" and, "Is it even worth trying?'"
The drum corps you're considering trying out for, the Hawthorne Caballeros, has awed you ever since you were a kid. You first saw them with your family at the Parade of Champions in Scranton, Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Stadium. The Caballeros' Latin flair sucked you in, and their powerful brass kept you riveted. But it was their trumpets, hamming it up out in front for the crowd, that hooked you and wouldn't let go. From that moment forward, you had one goal: to be a trumpet player who could draw in the crowd the same effortless way the Caballeros' trumpet players did.
When you were growing up, it was never a question of if you were going to make music, only what instrument you were going to play. You quickly latched onto the trumpet as your dream instrument, and you've been playing it for 16 years now. As your elementary and high school band director, your mom always did an excellent job of teaching you and encouraging you, your dad could always be found cheering you on from the sidelines at every one of your concerts and football games, and the director of music at your church gave you the opportunity to be a trumpet soloist.
Two years ago, you made what felt like a very small and inconsequential decision, but it ended up altering the direction of your life. Some friends of yours from the college band you were in at the time invited you to join them at a Skyliners' Drum and Bugle Corps camp one weekend.
Playing trumpet in a competitive marching ensemble was something you'd always dreamed about doing, and the experience was every bit as great as you thought it would be. The atmosphere was so welcoming and family-oriented it was easy for you to fit right in. Simply put, going to the Skyliners' camp blew your mind.
Jazzed that you were able to march with a group as accomplished as this one, you couldn't keep the news to yourself. You wanted your family to share in this incredible journey with you, so you convinced your mother and twin brother to join the group, too.
The two years you spent with the Skyliners have given you a very strong foundation to build on -- you've been a lead player after all -- but you haven't quite reached stardom yet. So it makes sense for you to be a little nervous when your friends encourage you to try out for the Caballeros. You're teetering on the edge, unable to decide whether or not you should make the leap and do it.
I understand why you would doubt whether or not you can cut it as a lead player with a corps like the Caballeros. They're on a different level than the Skyliners, and you've never been very good at auditioning. Remember when you tried out for District Band and placed second to last? You don't even consider yourself to be a very strong player, so I know what you're thinking: "How could I possibly make it as a Caballero?"
But I have some advice for you: Don't doubt yourself and don't let people put you down or limit your abilities. You're a great player, and you have so much potential. From being that starry-eyed kid who showed up on a whim to a drum corps camp to the player you are today, you have grown so much. Just because you don't audition well doesn't mean you aren't a good player or won't succeed in making the team.
The opportunity to join a group like the Caballeros is worth the risk of failure. Working with them will challenge you in ways you never could have imagined. You'll learn new practice regimens and embrace a higher level of discipline. It will also allow you to soar to greater heights than you've ever known before.
You may not know anyone there at first, but that's OK because a big part of drum corps is its family atmosphere, which you first experienced first with the Skyliners. You're going to be surrounded by some incredible people, friends, and teachers alike.
Most importantly, remember to believe in yourself. You may not think so right now, but you have what it takes to make it: a deep love of music and the willingness to do whatever it takes to be great at it.
Photo Credit: Chris Maher - Corpsreps.com
If you don't take the risk and try out for the Caballeros, you will have to live with that decision for the rest of your life. You will be forever haunted by the dreaded "what if" question -- as in, "What if I'd tried out for the team and made it?" There's another "what if" question that disturbs you: "What if you try out and suck at it?" Whenever this one pops into your mind, replace it with this thought instead: "What if you make the team and are amazing?"
In the end, you will never know if you don't try. As Robert F. Kennedy once said, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." Trying out for a team as talented as the Hawthorne Caballeros is scary, but preventing yourself from even attempting it is far worse.
Be sure to watch the Hawthorne Caballeros and the Skyliners at the 2017 DCA Championships on September 2-3, exclusively on FloMarching.
How to Watch
ON TV: Available on Roku and Apple TV 4 -- download the FloSports app now.STREAMING: Only on FloMarching with a PRO subscription. A yearly PRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. Join Now
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