Guthrie FFA student is among top brass
GUTHRIE — FFA student Dalton Cockrum, a 17-year-old senior, will travel to Indianapolis to play trumpet at the 2017 National FFA Convention and Expo later this month for the second year in a row.
Cockrum’s grandfather and uncle have both played in the national band. About 100 musicians are chosen through a video submission process.
“I was like, ‘That’s cool, I need to make it,’ “he said.
Cockrum started playing the trumpet in sixth grade. His interest was spurred by seeing a high school student play. Knowing his grandfather also played trumpet was inspiring and influential, he said. “I thought it was a pretty cool instrument,” he said.
This year, Cockrum is in marching band, concert band and jazz band. It is his first year in jazz band, and he said it is a new experience. “Teaching us how to swing is kind of different, a different form of playing the trumpet that’s really nice and I like it,” he said.
Musicians from across the country are selected to perform in the national FFA band. Cockrum said he has kept in touch with people he met at the convention last year. “You get to meet the entire band and people from halfway across the country that I wouldn’t have ever met without this great opportunity,” he said.
In addition to meeting people, Cockrum said it is an opportunity to learn. “It’s so cool and unique how they see things, how they play their instrument,” he said.
Cockrum will travel to Indianapolis a few days before the convention to prepare.