All true music fans experience a particular moment.

It generally happens at different times in life for different people. Luckily for me, it happened pretty early.

It happened when I was a freshman in high school at a typical Thursday afternoon marching band rehearsal. It was right at dusk and the band was practicing our second song, which was a ballad. I was standing on the sidelines of our practice field (which was used as a student parking lot during regular school hours) because battery percussion was not required for this particular song. I usually enjoyed this part of rehearsal because that meant I could rest.

This time was different.

I listened to my peers and friends as they played the most elegant song I had ever heard. I had never really taken the time to notice how emotional the song was. Something about it held my attention from beginning to end. It was absolutely beautiful.

Our director was so creative, and I always admired him for that. He had the members of the band that were on the sidelines for this song twirl Dollar Tree whirly tubes that made whistle sounds as the first song faded and the ballad started. We each chose a different speed to twirl them at for different pitches. Then, the piano came in, and eventually the brass. There were so many soft moments in the song that it made the crescendos and the big impacts that much sweeter.

We were fortunate enough to have a balanced sound in our band – at least for this song – so much that if we had one more person, they would make a big difference. Perfection, I thought.

It was that day in 2005 that I fell in love with music.

I remember downloading this song as soon as I got home that day. Of course, it wasn’t the same because it was a recording of a string orchestra instead of a marching band with whirly tubes. Still, it was such a great song.

Because I’m me and I listen to songs on repeat when I find that I like them, I kept hitting the replay button on my iPod. This might be weird considering it was an instrumental film score, but I just wanted to hear it and feel what I felt standing on that asphalt.

I credit that moment for my ability to listen to almost any song and find something in it that I really like. It’s an appreciation I give credit to Thomas Newman for writing “The Farm.”

Column by Anna Taylor, Features Editor.