Last night, I attended the CU Wind Symphony’s concert not as an audience member but as a performer. It was a very special night for me, and made even more singular by being able to share it with my fellow Rose Scholars. While I found the whole program enjoyable, especially the section where the Air Force Heritage of America band was given the stage to share their extraordinary musicianship, I found the most impactful part of the evening was when we performed the Symphonic Dances Suite from West Side Story. This musical has had a profound effect on my development as a musician. I was first exposed to the music of Leonard Bernstein in freshman year of high school, when my school put on West Side Story as our spring musical and I performed in the pit orchestra. As a fledgling clarinet player, this complicated music was beyond intimidating, but ultimately made me a much stronger player. The second time I was in close contact with West Side Story was the summer after my freshman year of college, when I participated in a local theater program’s production of the show. Finally, my recent experience with the Wind Symphony marks another memorable contact with Bernstein’s work. It is truly special for me to be honoring and celebrating this spectacular musician and educator in the way I, and he, understood best, and I am excited to potentially grow further as musician through future encounters.