Ben Santana: Candid Band Kid

BY KENDYL COUNTS

In a colorful room crammed with stands and stray sheet music, a  little boy encounters his first musical instrument, carefully removing a plastic recorder from its case and tentatively tooting the first few pitches to Hot Cross Buns. Struggling, the young student pants through the nursery rhyme, stopping during rests to giggle at his classmates with puffed-out cheeks and purple faces.

“A, B, C, D, E, F, G… A, B, C, D, E, F, G,” frantically recites the music teacher in a futile attempt to help her class understand the name of each note that was to correspond with the movements of their fingers.  Though it seemed absurdly complicated at the time, this seven letter alphabet would serve as the foundation of a language one day understood particularly well by Cooper City High School senior Ben Santana: the language of music.  

Growing up, music was not quick to pique Santana’s interest.  His childhood interests consisted of sports, video games, and a bad experience with gymnastics that quickly became a good experience with Pokémon– typical activities for the ordinary elementary school boy.  It was not until middle school, when choosing an elective to take during sixth grade, that he casually selected this new path in search of some variety in his eleven year old routine (not to mention an escape route from the terror that was physical education).  

“Band was fun because it was something that I had never really done before; it was something new,” Santana said. “I also might have been repulsed by the idea of physical activity.”

Unfamiliar with the instrument options presented to him in his first week at Pioneer Middle School, Santana explored them all, first taking an interest in the flute.  

“The reason I picked the trumpet [isn’t] very poetic,” Santana said.  “I got a five on the flute during instrument fitting, so I was going to play [it], but [I was told] that boys don’t play the flute.  I began looking for the least expensive brass instrument, and I came across the trumpet.”

Thriving in the relaxed environment that nurtures the talents of young musicians, Santana received nothing but enjoyment and encouragement from the Pioneer band experience.  

“I liked that we sounded like ducks,” Santana recalls of his days in beginning band. “but I’ve definitely grown [as a musician] since then.”

When accustomed to the warm and fuzzy incubator that is the Pioneer band program, the transition to the intense and fast-paced nature of the Sound of Pride band program can be shocking.  Fortunately for his sanity, Santana’s general approach to life is simple: just go with the flow.  

“Joining band in high school just seemed like the next step,” said Santana.  “I never really questioned it.  So, I signed up, I didn’t know what was going on [at band camp], marching season happened, and here I am.”  

As one of the few freshmen in the school’s wind ensemble that year, Santana faced immense pressure to equal the abilities of the upperclassmen not only in marching band, but in concert band as well.   Through his efforts to meet the demands of this environment, music that had once seemed impossibly challenging became progressively less difficult, and before long Santana found himself learning complicated literature with ease.

“I’m extremely proud,” said his mother Mrs. Santana. “I never envisioned [Santana] being a musician, since nobody in our family prior to him has showed any musical aptitude whatsoever, but he has all of my support.”

Eventually he began to seek a deeper understanding of music, so to heighten his proficiency in the subject he took up the study of music theory, or the practices and possibilities of music, his junior year.  Excelling in the class, Santana fine-tuned his ear for the technicalities of music, mitigating the complications of playing his instrument.

“A lot of it comes naturally,” Santana said. “It’s just how my brain works.”

Despite his humble demeanor, Santana’s extensive musical achievements reveal a theme of excellence. He was accepted into the Middle School All County Honor Band in eighth grade and has earned numerous superior ratings on solo performances at Solo and Ensemble MPA.   As a sophomore in high school he secured a coveted spot in both the All State Honor Band and the University of South Florida Festival of Winds; as a junior he travelled to Tallahassee for the Florida State University Tri-State Band Festival. Invitations such as these allowed him to expand on his skills and knowledge through interaction with other young, talented musicians.

Regularly receiving honors worth boasting of, it is no surprise that Santana has ascended the ranks of Cooper City High School band students.  He has held the position of trumpet section captain for both his junior and senior year, entrusting him with the musical and visual progress of a dozen other students. Last May, a band-wide vote titled him band captain, broadening his responsibilities to extend over all sections of the band.

“[Ben] has always treated his section and the entire program with the utmost respect,” said sophomore Sound of Pride Drum Major Morgan Malan. “He [finds] a way to be a leader and friend at the same time, and that’s what makes him a great leader.”

The dynamic within the band is one that is difficult to understand looking from the outside in; Santana is beloved by the band for his humorous nonchalance, and is often recognized for his remarkable musicianship.  At times, it appears that Santana has been placed on a pedestal by his peers, plagued by high expectations and the ever-watchful eyes of other students. Shrugging off the pressure to be the perfect role model, Santana sees his leadership position as an opportunity to give back to the program that’s given so much to him.

“I’m just trying to be nice to other people,” said Santana. “If I can help other people I won’t just say no if it’s inconvenient for me. I want to be someone that people can depend on.”

Though he practically has a celebrity status in band, and often saves the day with his ability to hit high notes with impeccable clarity and sight read music with incredible accuracy, Santana doesn’t consider himself to be different from any other hard working, dedicated band student.

“I don’t really see myself or anything I do as extraordinary,” confessed Santana. “I just try and dedicate myself to things that I enjoy doing. The general point that I’m trying to make here is… I don’t know, man. I’m just a dude.”

Just like any other “dude” his age, Santana is primarily focused on his future. He is currently anticipating his upcoming participation in this year’s High School All County Honor Band, the band’s winter trip to New Orleans for the 2016 Sugar Bowl, and of course, the annual Encore performance each spring.  These events each in their own way serve as a last hurrah for Santana as he prepares to move on to college, but even though he’s down to his last months in the Sound of Pride he’s content with how the class of 2016 has left the program.

“Sugar bowl is this year, which I’m glad to get to participate in,” Santana said.  “And who knows what’s next? Who knows what else is going to happen?  [The band] could get a phone call and [end up] playing for the emperor of China.  It could happen; we’ve got a lot of great opportunities, and more opportunities lead to more opportunities.”

Just as the band has many opportunities arising over the next few years, Santana has some of his own. Aspiring to be a cardiologist, he has participated in volunteering and doctor shadowing programs, and he hopes to attend a school that encourages medicine students to succeed in entering their desired field of study.  As for the music, one can only hope that Santana’s trumpet case will not sit around catching dust after high school ends, but he refuses to make any promises.   

“I’m not gonna be able to sell it or anything, it’s absolutely a piece of junk,” Santana said. “You’ve seen my trumpet. I might keep it for memories, or maybe I’ll take it with me to college and play in a pep band that takes up minimal amounts of time. I don’t know, I’m just living life.”