EVERETT — Constantine Angelos, who goes by “Costa,” is a senior at Mariner High School. The 17-year-old played trombone for the 2016 All-National Honor Symphony Orchestra at the National Association for Music Educators convention in November in Texas. He was the only Snohomish County musician and one of just eight from the state selected for any of the four All-National Honor ensembles.
Question: What was it like performing with the All-National Orchestra?
Answer: It was just an amazing experience. It was like playing with professionals who are my age. It was amazing. I was very blessed to have the opportunity. It was like nothing I’d done before.
Q: How long have you played trombone?
A: I started playing violin in first grade, and then switched in sixth grade to trombone. My dad also plays trombone, and I always wanted to — but trombone is a little too big for a first-grader.
Q: Your mom is a musician, too. She plays violin.
A: I’ve been growing up with music my whole life. … I want to get a master’s in trombone performance and hopefully continue that.
Q: You’ve applied to Central Washington and Western Washington universities?
A: I want to keep it small for my undergraduate. And I’m thinking Indiana or Julliard for my graduate degree.
Q: What is it that you like about music?
A: Just being able to be part of something that makes people feel good. … How much emotion you can put into something when you can’t put what you’re feeling into words. It’s healing. It can really take you out of the problems of the world.
Q: You are in three band classes right now, as well as U.S. history, biotechnology and senior English.
A: Probably wind ensemble would be my favorite because it’s the highest group and where I get to play the hardest music.
Q: Your dad, Chris Angelos, is your music teacher at Mariner.
A: He’s inspired me in music. I’ve been going to his high school concerts since I was a kid.
Q: Who else has inspired you or been a mentor?
A: Chuck Wiese has been my private instructor for trombone since eighth grade. Also, Ko-ichiro Yamamoto (through Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra) … being able to listen to him play is amazing. He’s one of the best trombone players on the West Coast. But my dad and Chuck especially. They’ve really shaped me.
Q: You say your favorite time is spent outside of class, practicing, rehearsing and performing with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
A: I love Saturday mornings. … I worked my way up starting with Symphonettes and I finally made Youth this year.
Q: Besides music, you also have played recreational soccer since kindergarten and enjoy boating with family. And you are an altar boy at the Eastern Orthodox church your family attends?
A: It’s serving the altar and getting things ready to go, anything that needs to be done. But other than that, it’s all music for me. I can’t imagine anything else. I can’t see myself sitting at a desk doing desk work.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece?
A: How to choose? I think one of the most enjoyable right now, that we’re doing (for Youth Symphony), is “Symphonie Fantastique” by Hector Berlioz. It’s very powerful and has lots of imagery. … The fourth movement is “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath.” It’s very popular with Halloween music. The whole symphony is about 45 minutes.
Q: And there’s nothing for trombone in the first two movements?
A: I have to sit for about a half-hour. But those last two movements are worth it. … That’s the life of a trombone player for you. But I like to think of it like the voice of God — I can only speak so often. (Laughs.)
Melissa Slager: 425-339-3432; mslager@heraldnet.com.
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