As the only Missourian clarinetist in the Kansas City Youth Symphony, which has members from both Kansas and Missouri, it was already clear that Senior Joelle Beusterien could hold her own on the musical stage. Adding to her accomplishments in the first chair position in the Kansas City Metro All-Districts band, which she earned on November 3 .
“I’m very, very honored. I’m still in shock about it,” said Beusterien.
The position was one she has been working towards throughout her entire high school career.
“My freshman year I got eighth chair, which is really good for a freshman. Then sophomore year I got third chair, which was unbelievable, and junior year I got second, so I was close. I really wanted it this year,” said Beusterien.
This year, as first chair, Beusterien also automatically was put into the Kansas City Metro All-District Full Orchestra. On top of this, she is first chair clarinetist in West’s band, and she is in the Kansas City Youth Symphony.
All this means having to learn a lot of music, and challenging music at that. However, this doesn’t discourage Beusterien.
“It’s fun to play music that’s hard because at first it’s super stressful and you’re like, ‘I’ll never get this.’ And then you do and it’s so rewarding,” she said. “You made music.”
More challenging music is what interested Beusterien in participating in things like Youth Symphony and jazz band when she was in middle school. She said the challenge made her more engaged in the music and consequently she enjoyed it more.
Recently she has been helping out younger band students with West band director Clif Thurmond, who also is band director at Cedar Creek Elementary, and his wife, who teaches at Trailridge Elementary.
This experience may be useful to Beustrien in the future because as of now, she plans on being an elementary music teacher.
She said, “I’ve fallen in love with teaching kids music and I want to give them the same passion that I have because music changed my life.”
