She stands at 5 feet, 6 inches tall, with a pounding heart. There’s a moment of silence. Counts are whispered. She breathes, then, drumsticks are flying.
When the question of ‘who’s good?’ was on the table, students at the Music For All Summer Symposium, held June 24 through July 1 on the campus at Ball State University, were quick to turn their heads and look at Evey Arleth.
They spoke not only about their admiration for her talent but for her connection with music. Arleth, from Portland, Michigan, wears the title “musician” proudly.
“I have connected to music since I was young, especially because my father and brother are drummers as well,” she said.
Arleth was taught the basics of drumming by her father, but as she aged, she began to “self-teach” with his guidance.
“Evey is dedicated to practicing regularly and it shows. She steadily gets better and better,” Josh Arleth said.
Evey Arleth said improving while playing the snare feels like a reward or even an achievement.
According to Drum Magazine, playing the snare requires patience and practice, which often prevents people from learning. Every detail matters even the way one holds the drumsticks.
This never worried Evey Arleth.
“The main objective of playing is simply to prove to myself and other people that I can achieve what I want to do,” she said.
Arleth thought she began her drumming career with low self-confidence. Now, Arleth found herself playing extremely well in open-class Winter Guard International (WGI).
An indoor competition, WGI is considered to be “prestigious,” Arleth said, and the experience introduced her to something new: self-actualization. She recognized her potential and found herself eager to continue her connection with music. She may have had something to prove, but Arleth hoped to also “inspire people along the way” with her determination.
Arleth not only spoke about her appreciation for music but the band camp itself. She believed coming to Music For All Summer Symposium gave her the opportunity to learn from musicians from other backgrounds. Being from a small town and school music program, she was thrilled to apply what she learned and push her peers to grow with her.
“Just seeing how far I have come as a musician, performer, and person moves me to want to go further,” she said.
Arleth doesn’t plan on making a career out of drumming, but she believes it is a major part of her life that will never leave. She hopes to teach drum lessons later in life so that she can push others to pursue their shared passion.
“You do not have to come from big, to make it big,” she said.
