By Melody Cen
Staff Writer
Gently assembling the sleek brass parts of his tuba, the cool metal sending excitement through his palms, senior Erik Selders prepares to fulfill his lifelong dream of marching in a professional band. Practicing over and over again to perfect his performance, determination gathers within him as he rhythmically exhales notes of hope for his future band career.
“Band is something that I’ve really grown to love over the years, it’s one of the only things I feel like I’m really good at,” Selders said. “I love band because I love performing and being in a headspace that puts you out there where most people aren’t comfortable.”
Selders’ passion since the fourth grade was performing and something he hoped to continue after high school. For the past two years, he’s had his eye on marching tuba for Drum Corps International, a non-profit drum and bugle corp that competes in the summer for international titles.
During his senior year, Selders decided he was ready and willing to audition for an open class corp, Gold Drum and Bugle Corps.
“I first told myself that it was only for experience, I really wasn’t expecting to get in,” Selders said. “I mean this has been my dream for a pretty long time and I think that it’s amazing I got such a great opportunity. I literally get to play in one of the better professional band circuits, fresh out of high school.”
Selders’ love of band is a combination of his own volition as well as the influence of his role models Sean Tsui and James Bechayda. Bechayda is one of his instructors who plays a similar low brass instrument, the baritone. Tsui, a 2020 TC alumni, is a marimba player who is currently a member of Pulse Percussion, one of the best percussion groups in the world.
These two individuals pushed Selders to be more motivated and passionate about training his craft. However, neither compare to his best cheerleader, his mother Robyn Selders, a government and economics teacher at the high school.
“For the past two years, Erik has worked constantly and earned the Mel Bauer Memorial Award for Dedication and Service in band,” Ms. Selders said. “It makes it more special because it’s voted on by the other band members. I love watching how much joy he gets playing in the band. I’ve loved seeing his dedication and commitment to be better.”
After marching competitively all over the U.S. this summer, Selders plans to audition for World class groups like the Blue Devils, one of the most successful corps in the world. The Blue Devils won consecutive gold medals at national competitions for the last three and have ranked either first or second since 2007. Both of his role models have marched with the Blue Devils, with Tsui marching for two years and Bechayda for one.
“Band is an integral part of our school as well as an integral part of my life,” Selders said. “Anytime someone asks me which extra curricular to join on campus, I always say band or marching band. I feel like it’s changed my life so much and that it’s only fair that I share my passion with others in hopes they have as positive an experience as me.”