Manteca’s Music Man wants to teach high school band

Manteca High junior Snowden Snyder is surrounded by his instruments. (Ramiro Osuna)

By CRISTINA SOLIS
The Tower

Snowden Snyder, a junior at Manteca High School, has been involved in music and band since middle school.

Snowden Snyder has been engaged in Manteca High School’s band since his freshman year. Although it wasn’t his first year in band since he has been involved in a band since 6th grade. Snyder has spent most of his life excelling in band as well as things such as athletics and academics.

“Originally I wanted to be a math professor,” Snyder said, “It quickly changed to wanting to be a high school band director when I realized how expressive I can be with music.”

Snyder’s passion for music echoes through the halls of the school.

As the lead percussionist, Snyder balances multiple different positions in band ranging from instrument playing to managing social media. Snyder manages to maintain a balance between his scholar and social life.

The Tower had the privilege of sitting down and conducting an interview with Snowden Snyder to discuss his growth and future in his band career.

TT: Can you start by telling us which positions you cover for band?

SS: In band I am an equipment manager, I am our drum captain, our percussion section leader, and our social media manager.

TT: How long have you been in band?

SS: I’ve been in band since sixth grade so, a couple years.

TT: How many instruments do you know how to play?

SS: I play a total of 8 general instruments, but within percussion there’s a lot more in percussion that I’m just not going to count.

TT: Is it hard to balance social and school life?

SS: Yes and No. I use my calendar app a lot to keep everything so, I mean I do keep it balanced and stuff it is patched with a lot of band, so I have more of a band life than a social life, but I work with it.

TT: Do you see yourself continuing with something music related in the future?

SS: Yes, my overall goal is to become a high school band teacher after college.

TT: How many hours a week do you dedicate to band?

SS: About 25 hours a week I would say.

TT: Who would you say serves as your inspiration for everything

SS: Mr. Marchetti the teacher he is pretty much what I’m striving to be in the future, which is a high school band director, so he helps me out a lot to be able to do everything that I do.