The Ghostwriter had the opportunity to sit down and interview Alvah Fletcher for our Student Spotlight series.

Sophomore Alvah Fletcher discusses topics such as their love for music and how they had joined both the concert band and the marching band this year.

Read the transcript below for our full interview!

Q: Can you please state your name and grade?

A: Thomas [Alvah] Fletcher, sophomore.

Q: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?

A: I would probably say I try to be as friendly as possible.

Q: If you could have dinner with one person anyone alive or dead who would it be?

A: That’s a really good question. I’d probably go for an old composer because I’m really fascinated by what their thought process behind how they made their music was. So probably either Bach or Mozart.

Q: In band what instrument do you play?

A: I’m on percussion.

Q: Do you enjoy band?

A: Yes, it is a lot of fun.

Q: Since you’ve started in band has there been a certain composer that has stood out to you and helped you better understand the music more?

A:  The band teacher Mr. Sheckleton is really understanding about learning new things, he is really good about that. And a lot of my friends are in percussion as well so they also help out a lot.

Q: Where do you think you would see yourself in 10 years? 

A: 10 years from now? Well, I feel like I want to keep doing music but I also want to start coming down into forensics, like a science path.

Q: Do you have anywhere that you would want to study forensics?

A: I think either UMass Amherst or UMass Lowell, [and they also have a] good marching band too.

Q: You’re in the marching band? What instrument do you play?

A: I’m in pit percussion.

Q: How long have you been in band?

A: Just this year actually.

Q: How did you get into band?

A: A lot of my friends do band and they have been trying to get me to join for a while.

Q: In percussion are there any specific instruments that you play because I know there are a lot?

A: There are a lot but for this concert cycle I’m mainly on the bass drum.

Q: Have you been enjoying the bass drum so far?

A: Yeah, it’s fun. 

Q: Have you played any other instruments?

A: Yes, I have played the timpani before and a bunch of different keyboard instruments. That’s usually what I’ve been put on. 

Q: Do you have any instruments that have been your favorite that you’ve really enjoyed playing in the music pieces?

A: I enjoy playing different keyboard instruments. 

Q: Do you have a favorite piece that you know how to play or that you’ve played so far?

A: One of our percussion features in the last concert that we performed for the middle schoolers and the elementary schoolers and it was a British ensemble piece, and that was a lot of fun. It was [“I’ll Make a Man Out of You”] from Mulan. 

Q: Do you cycle the instrument that you are playing every concert or do you have a specific time that you switch instruments?

A: Well, it’s really about what instruments we get put on. So every concert we get something different. 

Q: I know you talked about your favorite composers being Bach or Mozart, can you play any of their pieces?

A: I could awhile ago but that was before I was in percussion. Before I played the Viola actually. 

Q: How long did you play the viola for?

A: About five or six years. 

Q: Do you still know how to play?

A: I could still probably play it but I haven’t played it in awhile. 

Q: Did you ever play any other instruments before the WA band or did you just play the Viola?

A: Well the Viola and awhile before that the piano.

Q: Did you play the Viola in your middle school band?

A: Yes, I did.

Q: Was there any particular reason that you didn’t do band last year?

A: I was just brand new to it all and I was kind of nervous going into it, but I joined the pep band that played at the hockey and basketball games. So that was the extent of it. 

Q: So was it kind of a nice way to ease into freshman year?

A: Yeah, pretty much.