My name is Iasmina. I am a saxophonist who enjoys all sorts of music genres which made me join NYJO! What I searched for was a great idea of what it takes to play in a band and meet different people, and this was exactly the outcome. I made a lot of friends and developed skills I otherwise couldn’t have discovered without being introduced to this community.
I still remember on a tiring morning of Year 8, my class was told there would be an assembly with guests coming along. At first I couldn’t say much since it could have just been another boring school assembly, but it finally came. And what I saw was entirely magic. A whole band came to play for us! I felt like I was at this fancy restaurant with instrumentalists playing songs I actually knew such as “Two Birds on a Wire”! I’ve never seen a saxophone in real life at that point, and before long, I was told I could learn it through lessons provided!
NYJO has offered at-school lessons entirely for free! These were so convenient on a Monday afternoon when I wanted to settle down after a long day since I genuinely felt included. During these lessons, I have bonded with various people in my Year Group and kept a nice routine every week. From then on, I took the opportunity to be a keen saxophonist and perform in my school band. I have performed in about five concerts which has gotten me a Silver Badge. Man, I wore this so proudly for the longest time!
After the term was over, my saxophone lessons moved to Woolwich Works on a Saturday instead. This I didn’t mind since I’d finally have a reason to go out in the weekend! I was then told I could perform in a band called NYJO First Collective, which for a few weeks I couldn’t remember the name of and sort of stuttered “First Class” when I was asking for directions in the building.
This has opened so many gates for me! First Collective gave me a chance to meet diverse people as it includes more students from different schools and different year groups! In addition, unlike my school band, First Collective gave me the experience of what it’s like playing with a singer in the group. I can also hang out with my friends!
My band leader, Alex, is also a saxophonist. He showed me and my friends how to play along with the more advanced saxophonists, who have been there for longer than us. I was really shocked by how fast they played and how could they recognise melodies by ear whilst I was used to sheet music. I hope I can catch up to them one day!
NYJO has given me so many opportunities and I am beyond keen to take them. I love the environment it has offered me and how nice everybody is!
Sometimes I think back, and I still can’t believe that without that morning assembly, I would have never picked up a saxophone. I would have never thought of playing in a concert, because just the thought of performing in front of so many people made my legs shake! I would have never thought to find the joy in an instrument as I did with my saxophone.
But I am ever so glad it all happened.
NYJO is absolutely great!
