Drumming

Among my many hobbies, drumming has been the most impactful. I've been drumming since 5th grade, and have learned to play everything from Timpani, Marimba, and Clave to Drumset and Snare Drum in marching band. Throughout my journey learning these various percussive instruments, I learned not only how to play them to the best of my ability, but also how to apply some of the skills I developed along the way to other aspects of life, including Software Engineering!

Snippet of Vanguard Cadets 2014 at DCI Finals

One of the groups I learned the most from being a part of was the Vanguard Cadets drumline. This drumline is part of the Vanguard Cadets marching band, a private group that competes against other private marching bands each summer while touring the US. The tour lasts for several months as part of an activity called Drum Corps (DCI). During my 4 summers on the drumline from 2012 to 2015, where I marched and played Snare Drum, I gained a lot of experience with how to work on a team effectively. For example, in order to achieve a good sound while playing together in a line, we had to be able to be flexible with how each other played. If one player played louder than the other or felt the tempo slightly ahead of other players, they would have to adjust their playing style to fit the sound our team, instructors and judges were aiming for. This presented a great challenge for myself at times because I had to step outside our comfort zone and trust in our leadership in order to succeed. Additionally, members of the drumline did not always see eye to eye with how passages of music should be interpreted or some players were slow to learn parts of the music. Situations like this allowed me to gain knowledge of how to handle uncomfortable scenarios where I had to motivate other members of the team, as well as how to find the motivation and apply feedback when I was struggling to improve my own playing. I also was able to practice my soft skills like how to show patience and kindness to others who were struggling but trying their best. Finally, there was a huge responsibility in being able to learn and play together at the same pace as others, and to be able to produce a great product in the end. We were tasked with learning incredibly difficult music passages in a short amount of time, and often had to adapt to changes on the fly based on feedback from judges. It took a lot of grit to be able to stay calm and determined under this pressure and follow through on tasks with good time management and quality, which was key in order for us to succeed in the highly competitive and fast paced activity.

Vanguard Cadets drumline rehearsing in Summer 2015

I have seen the need for these teamwork related skills come up often while working on challenging software projects in school and during my previous role, and with the help of my past experiences utilizing them to be successful at drumming I was able to work through them with greater ease. I'll always be thankful for my background in drumming and music as I continue to develop these skills in future roles!