Amanda Tun ‘25 won the All-State award in band for the fifth year in a row and tells about her experience playing the oboe.
Tun was first introduced to music when she was six years old through piano. However, it was not until the sixth grade when her older brother joined the Bolles band that she discovered her love for playing instruments. “He encouraged me to do it because he made so many new friends through music,” Tun says.
Since then, Tun picked up the oboe and now plays for the school band, which performs three times a year. They typically play at the Bartram campus in December for a winter concert, followed by performances in January and April. “Each concert will play five or six pieces,” Tun says. In addition to these, Tun also enjoys playing solos.
After playing music her whole life, Tun no longer gets as nervous to perform as she once did. However, sometimes when she plays solos it gets “a little bit more nerve wracking.” Regardless, Tun is still honored by the parts and enjoys performing them at the concerts.
Every year, Tun auditions for the All-State award to receive recognition for her musical talent. The organization nominates around 100 people from around the state for the award. To be selected, students from around the state go through an audition process by sight reading two pieces and playing them in front of judges. This year, it was held at Douglas Anderson.
Because she won All-State four years in a row, Tun felt “a little bit of pressure because you want to maintain your level.” However, she “felt less pressure with the audition because I was used to the process and I knew how to do it.”
Tun also looked forward to seeing her friends at the audition. “They’ve been doing this with me every year, and so being able to see them again and say ‘hey, we’re both back here,’” Tun says, takes away some of the stress.
After she graduates, Tun hopes to continue playing the oboe in college. Trying out for schools is a pretty long process, and to start, she must submit prescreenings. “These are videos that we have to submit, and if you get chosen, you go in person to this college and you do a live audition.” From there, musicians will be chosen to play for the school.
Tun is also looking to study music. “I’m really interested in psychology, so I’m trying to do psychology and music together,” Tun says. After playing music for so many years, it has become a large part of her life.
Tun looks forward to her future music career, and hopes to continue playing instruments for the rest of her life.
