The Next Generation of Band

Elijah Bieker

Notre Dame Academy

Nickname: Eli

How did you get started in band?
I joined the band at Our Lady of Lourdes in 4th grade playing percussion.

I’ve continued to grow in my musical abilities to the present day where I’ve become the head drum major at Notre Dame Academy (NDA).

I love the community aspect of band and music and being able to express myself through the music I play.

I made a band with my friends and have performed at school events like our talent show, the Academy Awards, and the NDA Cabaret Night.

I don’t think I’ll make a career out of playing percussion and drums but I hope to keep it in my life in adulthood, either by joining a gigging band or just playing jam sessions.

Indecisive, proud, caring, patient, independent and practical.

Do you have any hidden talents?

Puppeteering.

What’s the greatest piece of advice you’ve received?

Where do you hope to one day visit?

Antarctica.

What advice would you have to other students thinking of starting in band?

Practice playing in different settings.

Travel with the school band and perform under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

To control the weather.

What are your plans for after high school?

To study psychology… somewhere.

Milk, white or dark chocolate?

Dark.

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl.

What is your first childhood memory?

Falling down the stairs at my family’s old house.

Favorite Halloween costume you’d ever had?

A DIY R2D2 costume made from a literal trash can.

Apple or Android?

Apple.

Starbucks, Dunkin or Scooters?

Dunkin.

What are you listening to right now?

“If It All Goes South” by Sammy Rae and the Friends.

Have you broken any bones?

I broke my right femur when I was five years old.

Which statement do you agree with ­— the movie was better than the book or the book is always better than the movie?

The book is always better than the movie.

Are you a Green Bay Packers fan?

A fan for life.

Who is your biggest role model?

A three way tie between all my siblings.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher.

Favorites:
TV show: The Good Place

Local restaurant: Tazza

Pizza topping: Mac and cheese

Marvel character: Spiderman

Candy: Dots

Color: Teal

Season: Fall

Shoe brand: Vans

Candle scent: Vanilla

Book: The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton

Go-to snack: White Cheddar Cheez-Its or Sundried Tomato and Basil Wheat Thins