Mastering his Craft

Sophomore Drumline Member Overcomes Odds

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Photo Courtesy of CPHS Band SmugMug

Hitting the drum, sophomore Chris Masters performs at halftime during the football game against San Angelo. Masters plans to be the drum captain next season. “I want to be drum captain because past drum captains have taught me a lot about not only drumming, but life in itself,” Masters said.

Noah Hedges, Reporter

In the spring of 2018, current sophomore Chris Masters stood behind a large crowd of people in the Cedar Park band hall, waiting to see the placements for the coming marching season. Masters had been working nonstop on his technique and his craft, and it all led up to the day he made the snare line as a freshman.

Making the snare line as a freshman is not easy. Hours of dedicated practice go into preparing, and as simple as it sounds, being younger than other band members can affect the final audition scores.

“I didn’t really care what other people thought about me auditioning for snare,” Masters said. “It got to a point where I was so self-concerned with my playing that the only thing that mattered was what I was doing, and not what everyone else was doing.”

Masters has a very strong musical background as he has been making music on a laptop since he was young. His knowledge of music aids his success in band. 

“When I was younger I learned a lot of tips and tricks about chord progressions and the build of different chords,” Masters said. “Now that I’m in high school, it’s really easy for me to catch onto music because it is easier for me to read.”

Masters uses any time that he has off from band to continue to improve his mechanics in regards to drumming. Every single day, he practices in hopes of auditioning for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, based out of San Antonio.

“This year I want to try out for Crossmen,” Masters said. “I don’t want to try out for a spot. Since I’m young, I want to go to a few audition camps to get more experience in an audition environment before I completely devote myself to a drum corps audition.”

Masters plans to be the drum captain in the Cedar Park band as soon as the 2020 season, which would give him the spot for not only the 2020 season, but the 2021 season as well. With two years left, Masters said that he wants to make an impact on everyone that he gets the opportunity to drum with.

“I want to be drum captain because past drum captains have taught me a lot about not only drumming, but life in itself,” Masters said. “Filling the role that the past drum captains have created for this line is very important to me and I want to carry on the legacy that the ones before me have created over the years.”