Pursuing the trumpet into adulthood wasn’t always the plan for Brigham Young University sophomore Casey Harris.

It wasn’t for a lack of talent. She was a part of every school band Maple Mountain High School had to offer and won several solo competitions.

But in her early high school days, she wasn’t a fan of people always associating her with the trumpet and didn’t see herself playing the instrument in college.

When she was an upperclassman, though, something clicked.

“I was like, ‘No, this is what I really am good at. This is what I enjoy doing. I have a talent, I need to better my talent,'” Harris said.

Since embracing her skill, Harris is on an upward trajectory.

Studying trumpet performance at BYU, she recently won a gold medal at the Southwest Symphony Young Artist Competition in St. George.

She’s also a member of the Utah National Guard 23rd Army Band and performs frequently at military ceremonies and events.

With her ability and commitment, she believes her passion can take her anywhere she wants.

“There’s just tons of doors open right now, and I’m not really sure what direction I’m going to go, but at this point, I’m just trying to get as good as possible,” Harris said.

Fine-tuning her craft

Harris began cultivating her musical ability by playing the piano when she was 5. Her mom, Marci, is a trumpet player herself and inspired Harris to begin playing the instrument when she was 12.

When Harris joined the junior high band, she felt ahead of the curve thanks to her piano background, and she was able to focus more on the instrument itself than the notes. Soon, she started taking private lessons, and her success grew from there.

After graduation, Harris enrolled at Snow College to study trumpet performance for a year. When she learned a new trumpeter professor was coming to BYU, Randy Lee, it spurred her desire to go to Provo, and she enrolled at the school last fall.

Under the tutelage of Lee, Harris spends much of her time in the BYU Music Building and practices two to three hours a day.

“I really want to see how good I can get with the teachers that I have and the different experiences that I’ve been a part of,” she said.

Harris is considering getting her master’s or doctoral degree in the trumpet or becoming a professor herself. She’s also considering taking the social media route, showcasing her skills via YouTube or Instagram.

For now, though, she’s challenging herself by joining contests like the Southwest Symphony Young Artist Competition. The event was for ages 14 to 24 and first involved a video audition.

“You would submit a video with you playing your piece with your pianist, just to their judging panel, and they listened to all of them,” Harris said.

The judges liked what they heard and selected Harris, along with six other finalists, to perform in a live recital in St. George. She won the contest, and as a reward, she got to play her concerto with the Southwest Symphony before an audience in February.

“There’s very few times where you get to play a solo with an orchestra. It’s really hard to get that,” Harris said. “It’s so much more emotional and you can connect with your audience so much more when you have all those extra parts, because you can only get so far with a piano versus an orchestra. Overall, it was a fantastic experience. Their group was great to work with.”

Performing in the Army

Aside from school and competing, Harris spends time performing with the prestigious Utah National Guard 23rd Army Band.

Her desire to perform in a military band came after high school when she auditioned for a Marine Corps band. However, she was disqualified due to medical issues and determined playing in a military band wasn’t for her.

That was until an experience she had at Snow College.

“The 23rd Army Band ended up coming and having a concert with us at Snow for Christmas, and that sparked my desire again to maybe do a military band,” Harris said. “And one thing led to another, and I’m in it now.”

Harris joined the Army National Guard in July 2023, then attended 10 weeks of basic training and another 10 weeks of advanced individual training at the United States Army School of Music in Virginia. From there, she joined the 23rd Army Band and entered the musical side of the Army.

Music’s role in the Army has been debated for a long time, Harris said, but it is rooted in tradition and incorporated into every event. The Army song and the national anthem, for instance, have to be played at any ceremony.

Playing the trumpet adds an additional layer of responsibility. Oftentimes, Harris takes the place of a bugler at a ceremony and has to perform some of the most sacred roles.

She’s made calls to attention, sometimes in front of thousands of people. She’s also played taps at military funerals and considers it the most special thing a trumpeter can do.

“A lot of times they don’t have a bugler and they just have it (pre-recorded). I feel like having a live trumpeter at a funeral is just so special, and it’s way more emotional, and it’s really cool to be able to give that last bit of respect to the people that have put in and sacrificed everything for the country,” Harris said.

Beyond the ceremonies, the band performs a summer concert series and does smaller ensembles.

“It’s really fun, really great people,” Harris said. “It’s a cool way to serve the country without having to put myself in danger.”