music-instrumental 223 Whether it was performing in an orchestra, marching in a band or playing in a quartet, senior instrumental music education major Whitney Hammes took advantage of many opportunities to prepare for her future in music. Hammes was home schooled but did not let that keep her from taking cello lessons starting in fifth grade. She took lessons from Dr. Patricia Cox, professor of music, and by seventh grade, Hammes was playing in the Harding University/Community Orchestra. She continued looking for opportunities to play and improve her musical skills. In the tenth grade, she felt the need to learn how to play a wind instrument and chose the trombone. She then started playing with the Harding Academy band. “I wanted to learn a wind [instrument], but I had to practice a lot to catch up,” Hammes said. “It was hard to go from the sound of the cello to the horrible sound of learning the trombone.” During her senior year of high school, Hammes joined the Harding Thundering Herd Marching Band and played the trombone. After having good experiences working with students and professors in the music department at Harding, it made sense for Hammes to stay in Searcy and attend Harding as a student. “Whitney is very aggressive in what she wants to accomplish,” Dr. Mike Chance, director of the band and orchestra, said. “She is willing to put in the time and effort to get what she wants. She is very focused.” After graduating, Hammes planned to attend graduate school where she could focus on the cello, and eventually teach band or orchestra to junior high or high school students. “I feel very qualified to teach either one because I play both a wind and string instrument,” Hammes said. “Since a typical orchestra has both winds and strings, I have the advantage of understanding and showing students how to play both. If I had chosen only one instrument, then I wouldn’t have that qualification.” Hammes felt like learning two instruments was helpful in giving her more confidence. “How you play the two is not the same, but the attitude transfers,” she said. Hammes spent the fall 2008 semester playing in the pit orchestra for the Homecoming musical “Oklahoma!” as well as being a member of the band. She was also a member of the Harding University String Quartet, the President of the Harding chapter of the National Association for Music Education and held a spot in the Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra. Hammes said that this particular orchestra was made up of professional musicians and was one of five in the state of Arkansas. “Whitney is very dedicated, hardworking and selfmotivated,” Bethany Yarbrough, senior instrumental music education minor, said. “She is always willing to help and down-to-earth.” In February of 2008, Hammes had the opportunity to play in the Arkansas Collegiate Band, which was composed of the top musicians from every university in the state. The students chosen for this honor spent only a few days learning music before they performed it for high school students. “Hammes is persistent about learning to be a good cellist and musician,” Chance said. “When there were few other string majors, she was able to be self-motivated and not rely on other students.” Kayla Studivan String Quartet Senior’s Hard Work And Motivation Prepare For Future Career Row 1: W. Hammes, P. Cox, J. Wimberly, S. Strange.
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