The Spirit of Cerritos: Meet Cerritos High's Luke Lai

Editor's Note: Patch will be posting musician profiles and features in anticipation of the  . 

My name is Luke Lai, and I'm a Junior at . I've been in band since Freshmen year and band has become a natural thing to me. I go to practice almost everyday and I've gotten use to it. It takes a lot of determination and patience to be able to go to the Olympics and perform. LAst year, we went to Carnegie Hall which was a big thing, but now we are going to the Olympics and it is an even bigger stage. We have to practice harder than ever before moving up to an international level. It was a fun experience to be able to fly to New York and perform in front of a large crowd. But now we are given the opportunity to represent our school and country in London, halfway across the world.

I've been playing the French Horn since Freshmen year and it was a tough instrument to learn. I had to practice for a hour or so everyday just to get used to the mouthpiece and fingerings. Though I started playing the French Horn in 9th grade, I've been playing the piano since I was 5 and played the Clarinet during middle school and elementary school. In order to practice the music and learn my instrument, I had to sacrifice some sleep and social events, but it is worth it. Going to the Olympics is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we need to practice to become perfect.

We have been playing with the same people since Marching Band. We had our fun marching and playing on the field, but now we are trying to work together encouraging each other to practice to reach the professional level. If one person doesn't practice it can disrupt a rehearsal and slow it down. So, we try to encourage others to practice even if it's just a few minutes, it can make a big difference. My family has been pretty supportive of me going to the Olympics and Carnegie Hall. They have been working hard to provide the money available for the trip while paying for my sister's college expenses. Mr. Trost has also been helping out students with the fundraisers to lower the prices for the trip as well as helping us find the perfect music to play at the 2012 Olympics.

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Donor and Sponsorship Opportunities to Support the CHS Wind Symphony Still Available

Community members and local businesses are encouraged to donate funds toward this historic trip. Donor and sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Fundraising Coordinator Leslie J. Machado at (562) 577-1802 or via email at lesliejmachado@gmail.com.