So some of you might ask why, of all instruments do people choose the saxophone? Of course, they are cool but starter instruments like piano, guitar, clarinet and even violin come as many people's choices. Not me, like many other characteristics I always chose something different in every aspect of growing up.
I liked what wasn't obvious and people ask why I chose the sax I have the pleasure of telling them, 'to be honest, it was like the sax found me'.
When I was 11 years old, I didn't have many friends and was used to entertaining myself. No one else in my family was musical (at all) but my interest in playing instruments came from loneliness. The music department at school was where I hid and didn't feel awkward like I did in a group of kids who were all fighting for the 'cool' kid's attention.
I looked up on in the music department one day and saw a glistening, gold straight instrument on an 'which instrument would you choose?' poster. It was the sight of a soprano saxophone and I fell in love with it there and then! I asked how I play such a beautiful instrument and the teacher advised learning alto saxophone first. So, the following week I was off on my venture to learn the sax and become good enough to play the soprano.
Five years later when I was 16 years old, for Christmas my family bought me a soprano sax! I had never owned an instrument before so this was a massive deal after using the school's for ages. The emotion was that I didn't deserve it having gone through some issues at school but the support and faith my family gave me (having not really heard me perform much, I was very timid about my playing) is eternally appreciated.
I just love telling this story! If you're thinking of choosing an instrument, let the instrument choose you but yeah, sax rules!
:)
