exploring MUSIC

exploringMUSIC

Hannah Coetzer fell in love with playing the tuba and the second family she found. by chloe lomax

unflowers spark inspiration for stayed safe and unharmed by the instrument, and she continued to Hannah Coetzer ‘20. Ever since play. Coetzer drove past Georgia Tech’s campus Hannah’s resilience and unwavering positive attitude were some and saw their marching band play, she of the qualities that she was most known for among her bandmates, knew she was destined to play the tuba, and she said she built those qualities learning to play the tuba. or as she likes to call it, “the sunflower.” The passionate personality Coetzer cultivated to sustain her Originally from South Africa, Coetzer through all the hard work radiated positivity all around her. moved from South Africa to Dubai and then from Dubai to Atlanta. Coetzer came to Woodward in January of love story her fourth grade year, but Hannah’s with the tuba began one memorable day “I have to play the sunflowers.” when she drove past Georgia Tech and saw their marching band perform. Hannah Coetzer “[When I joined band] in fifth grade, we were going through all the instruments trying to pick which one we wanted to [play], and we could try out the sounds,” Coetzer said. “One day, I was driving past the Georgia Tech campus, and I saw their marching band practicing. I saw their tubas on the field and I was like, ‘Mom they look like sunflowers. I have to play the “The band went to Italy to play in the Rome New Year’s Day sunflowers.’ I went back to school, and I said, ‘How do I get to play parade,” Mr. Beard said. “It was a mile and a half parade through the sunflower?’ [The band director] said, ‘You start on the tuba, and the city of Rome, and as the band was marching, all of the tuba then in marching band you play the sousaphone.’ So now I play the players looked at Hannah, and she was still going strong. That same sunflower.” trip, she got an ear infection. We took her to the The ambitious goal Coetzer set as she gazed hospital. She was tough, and she came back and at all the gold “flowers” glinting in the hot sun completed the trip.” on the Georgia Tech field may have seemed Hannah’s hard work paid off and allowed unattainable for a ten-year-old girl, but she her to grow in the band which she said she didn’t let her size, or the hard work required, viewed as her second family, a part of her that deter her. she held close to her heart. She loved what she “When Hannah first joined band, my son learned about not only the tuba, but also herself was the band director,” Mr. Ken Beard, Band through band. Director, said. “We didn’t have enough people “[Band] has shown me how I can stand in a who played tuba, and in order to have a good leadership role,” Coetzer said. “It’s shown me band, you have to have variety. We needed how I can be a leader and never be afraid to someone to play tuba, and Hannah went up and stand up for what I believe in.” said, ‘I’ll play the tuba.’ She’s been playing tuba Beloved by her fellow band members and ever since.” band director, many of her school family said Although Mr. Beard said he knew that they felt excited for Coetzer’s future but sad to Hannah was a positive and upbeat person, he see her go. The feeling is mutual. still worried about her playing such a large instrument. He could “Without band, I’d be a completely different person,” Coetzer tell that she was in pain while practicing, but he never heard her said. complain. They took the right precautions to make sure that Hannah