The first time I ever even heard of PYS was when I was invited to attend a Symphonic Winds rehearsal by an old friend. At the time, Winds didn’t have any trombonists, and Mr. Johnston was ecstatic to have me. My first season went too fast, and before I knew it, I was performing in Symphony Hall! Later, I would audition for Youth Symphony with disastrous results (I wasn’t fluent in tenor clef at the time). I was assigned principal of Symphonette, where I had the time of my life. A few weeks into the season, I managed to recruit a trombonist to Symphonette, much to Dr. Temme’s excitement. About halfway through the season, Mr. Harada asked us to double with Youth and fill out the brass lines of both orchestras. Throughout this 2-year experience, I gained such a love of performing that it became a passion of mine. This is a passion I hope to continue pursuing for the rest of my life.