Hibike! Euphonium / 響け！ユーフォニアム
Bb Trumpet cover
I finished Hibike Eupho and it felt very bittersweet...
I could related to some of the stuff in the anime since I was in the school band and also my cadet band several years ago, so I understood and could really feel the connection there
It really just brings tears to my eyes watching Eupho and remembering how much I miss it all.
I remember being the only brass player in the band with 10? people in my cadet band, continued to my last year where we had 30ish? and multiple trumpet players. I remember going to ~12 hr long spartan practices over the weekend before the competitions, practicing rain or shine. I remember going from just a regular player to eventually became section leader and also student band conductor in my school band. I remember the frustrations of not getting 1st place in band comp despite all the practice and preparation... and I remember leaving my bands, and being proud of what we had done and knowing that the other members/kouhais' that took my place to lead the bands/sections afterwards
I still remember going on to stage to receive an award that I felt I didn't deserve, and the school band played for me while I walked up to the stage.
Even after all these years and all that has happened, I may have taken a break from music for several years and couldn't pursue becoming a pro, I still came back eventually and picked my horn back up because... I just really missed playing music
Starting back up again was tough, it was like rebuilding from scratch but worse. I knew what I was capable of in terms of range, tone and technique before, but I could not replicate it again at the start. You'd put hours into practicing and sound nothing like what you've used to sounded like or can't produce the sound that you have in your head. Or when you want to keep playing more but your lips would not let you anymore. One day you might sound okay and then the next day it's all fluff notes everywhere.
After being back on the horn for a couple years now, though I think my playing now is still far from perfect and I'm no Reina, but I've at least surpassed my own past self and no longer think about that comparison. There are still days where I feel not that confident with my own playing... but it is just part of the never ending process of trying to improve. There are more days that I feel "Yes I can play this" than "No I can't play this", and this is all thanks to my current teacher that has encouraged me all this time.
Of course, there's still tons of pieces I want to play but don't have the range or endurance to play... a lot of songs these days have notes well above the high C into high F/G territory and it's a bit much to play for an amateur player, maybe it will come with time.
It is still my dream to be able to play anime music in an orchestra / concert band / Jazz band and I've partially achieved it earlier this year at least in a small group setting playing Totoro medley
I will try to play at my local anime con next month again and hopefully some people will enjoy my playing. Last year was my first time performing in front of people after so many years and I was really nervous and I'm still not that confident about my skills, but I will do my best to prepare and hope that my lips will hold up!
Man, that was long. If you've read all the way through, thank you hahaha