Sometimes our childhood is one of the best parts of our lives. Remembering the days when we started to get the feeling of life by going through experiences that showed us what is right and wrong. Making us become who we are today. The childhood of a man by the name of Thomas Nee went through experiences that made him become a very talented, nationally known music conductor.
It all started when Tom moved with his family to Dubuque, Iowa at the age of nine. There Tom played his first musical instrument, the trumpet. He had trumpet lessons with a very critical teacher who always pushed Tom harder and harder so that Tom w ould be able to play the instrument well. But nine-year-old Tom was so scared that he didn't learn much.
Later Tom and his family moved to Cushing, Oklahoma. There Tom became more serious about music by participating in his first band in Oklahoma. As soon as Tom reached middle school he joined band with his trumpet. He had fun being part of the band and also liked his conductor, but he always wondered why his conductor waved his arms all the time during practice.
Back at home Tom had a brother who was a very skilled archer and made his own arrows. Tom always used to take his brother's broken arrows and go to the garage where a Victrola phonograph used to sit, which played mostly opera and big band records. Then he decided to experiment with the idea of why his conductor waved his arms when music was playing, so he did the same thing. Having no clue what he was doing, Tom had fun waving the broken arrow along with the music playing from the phonograph.
As more years went by Tom decided to switch to the French horn in 9th grade band. After learning much more about music Tom now wondered why his new band conductor waved his arms just like his first conductor had. As Tom reached his senior year in high school he finally had the urge to ask not only why he waved his arms, but also he asked "May I conduct The Tiger Rag?," which was a piece that the band played. His teacher not only answered his questions, he also let him conduct his first musical piece. Tom has been conducting ever since.
