Music: vocal or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony and expression of emotion. While this may be a textbook definition of music, it holds many different meanings for different people.

For senior Wesley Gangluff, music links back to his grandfather.

“My grandfather was a well-known band director around the state,” Gangluff said. “He started the band program in Glen Rose.”

Gangluff plans on going into music education because of his grandfather.

“He was a big influence for me growing up,” Gangluff said. “My mom sang in college, but was never a big music person, and my dad doesn’t know anything [about music].”

While in high school, Gangluff has been a part of the Legacy competition band and played in a Drum Corps International (DCI) marching group over the summer.

“[I auditioned for] Music City out of Nashville, and I didn’t really expect anything to come out of it,” Gangluff said. “The next day, the guy in charge of all the brass stuff sent me a Facebook message saying I got in. We traveled all over the country performing at a lot of cool places.”

Auditioning and playing with a DCI group has helped Gangluff become a better musician, especially within the Legacy.

“My sophomore and junior year, I was not very great in the visual aspect [of marching band,” Gangluff said. “It’s definitely improved me a whole lot.”

Gangluff has been known in the Legacy as the “band clown.” During practices, he often uses phrases such as “Wesley hungry” and makes caveman-like noises when director Josh Gardner makes comments towards the band.

“It didn’t really start until around sophomore year,” Gangluff said. “I used to be a very shy and quiet kid, but then something sparked inside of me.”

While music is a tie to family for Gangluff, for sophomore Jaelun Thomas, music is a tie to his past.
“I play about five instruments,” Thomas said. “I play the alto saxophone, flute, recorder, piano and voice. I’ve also played the piccolo, alto flute, bass flute and the fife.”

Thomas’ interest in music started as a child because of his family’s personal involvement.

“My family plays music for me all the time,” Thomas said. “They have played it and they always will play it. It’s become such a big part of who I am now.”

Thomas started playing the alto saxophone in middle school and is now a part of the Legacy marching band.

“Legacy has impacted my life so much,” Thomas said. “What we do [now] plans us for the future. I know good and well that Gardner can motivate you like no other teacher can, and all this hard work will pay off in the end– that’s something that you have to know throughout life in general.”

While Legacy gives Thomas training for the future, it also gives him a good support system for now.

“I’m so glad I have such a supportive family to be around,” Thomas said. “And I know people say ‘family’ to describe the Legacy, but they’re not wrong. It may be an overused definition, but it is so true.”

As much as Thomas enjoys music, it is not something that he wants to make a career out of.

“While I do love music very, very, very much, I do not foresee myself pursuing music in the future,” Thomas said. “I do want to go to college and hopefully get a scholarship for music, but I actually want to go in the medical field and go into dentistry.”

Music for freshman Kaycee Browning has taken a part in shaping her as a person.

“When I was about five years-old, my grandma got me into piano,” Browning said. “I’ve added on five other instruments: guitar, ukulele, bass, drums and saxophone.”

Browning’s grandmother did not expect her to keep playing the piano as a child.

“At first, she thought I was just doing it as a kid trying to have fun,” Browning said. “But I got really into it. I’ve been playing for 10 years; I never stopped.”

While Browning is a freshman and is unable to join the Legacy, she is continuing an after school band tradition made by Thomas last year.

“The first chair students all come together and play songs, [and I conduct],” Browning said. “I’m going to try and hold a performance at some point.”

Music has played a major role in Browning’s life.

“If I didn’t have music in my life, I would be a completely different person,” Browning said. “I wouldn’t be as involved in the community, and I wouldn’t have the same connections or friends. I wouldn’t have the same personality or perspective of the world.”

Browning plans on taking music into her adult life and combining it with her love for writing.

“I want to combine writing and music and become a music journalist,” Browning said. “I want to dive deeper into the making [of the music] and interview the musician so that I could gain more insight on the making of the song and how it affected other people.”