The
arts community at Carolina is well-established and far-reaching, and
taking part in it is a yet another great way to get involved at UNC.
Music has always been a huge part of senior D.J. Lester’s life, so his
decision to pursue it at the college level was a no-brainer.
D.J.
comes from a family with a history in the arts - they’ve got singers,
dancers and musicians throughout every generation. He discovered his
musical talent at the young age of six when he started singing in his
church’s youth choir. He went on to learn how to play the piano and then
the trumpet and the French horn, all by the seventh grade. During high
school, he played for the Marching Band and the Concert Band and
eventually worked his way to Drum Major by his senior year.
As
soon as he got accepted to UNC, he knew the first thing he wanted join
was the Marching Tar Heels. A good friend and fellow band member, Alex
Bradsher, was influential in his decision to join as he saw her as a
role model and mentor. This past spring, D.J. was chosen as a senior
Drum Major for the Marching Tar Heels. At the year-end banquet, Alex
presented D.J. with his new whistle and he swears that will be a moment
he will never forget.
The
band isn’t D.J.’s only outlet for the arts - he also picked up a minor
in Music to further supplement his passion and musical background. He’s
made tons of friends through the band and feels so blessed to get to
interact with such great musicians. He also doesn’t hate that the band
plays for all UNC athletic events.
“I’ve
developed an even greater appreciation for sports that my high school
didn’t offer, like field hockey or lacrosse. Even when I don’t have to
play in the pep band for these events, I still like to go and watch
because I now see the hard work these teams put into what they are
doing. It’s part of the reason why we are UNC: the University of
National Champions.”
Just
as an athlete knows how amazing it feels when he or she is part of a
team that shares the same passion, UNC’s band knows the same feeling and
why they are all there together. While D.J. may not know all 300
students in the Marching Band, he knows that they are there to make
music and help the team to victory. Just as every student on campus is
connected by the love they have for Carolina, the band is connected by
their love for music and creating it. Some people don’t know that UNC’s marching band is also known as The Pride of the ACC. However, it’s only once
you’ve seen them marching to the stadium or on the field, that you will
understand why nobody else is fit for that title.
Do
you have this same passion for music and the arts? Think about joining a
music ensemble, any of UNC’s a cappella or performing groups, or even
studying a music-related major or minor! Click through the links below
for more information.
Arts at UNC - http://www.unc.edu/arts/
UNC Bands - http://uncbands.org/
Music Department - http://music.unc.edu/
D.J. is a Sociology major and Music and Entrepreneurship minor at UNC.
