Student Spotlight: Aryn Nester, Trombone

At the age of five, Aryn Nester found herself performing in front of about 1500 people at a teacher's conference in Tampa, Florida. She had been asked to perform by her teacher, who knew she loved to sing. In fact, Aryn Nester had been singing, acting and dancing from an early age, and if you had asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer was simple: she wanted to be a star. 

"I was always surrounded by performing arts," Nester said. "I was a very confident child and always loved being able to share myself and having that outlet was very good for me. I almost picked the bassoon, but the way my band director structured it, there were only so many spots for each slot, and the bassoon spots were full. I remember crying to my mom saying 'mom, I can't play the bassoon. I have to play the trombone.' I love it now; it's like an extension of my arm, literally."

In eighth and ninth grade, Nester tried out for Florida's all-state band. Even though chances seemed slim, Nester earned a spot, and it gave her the confidence to pursue a career in trombone performance.

"One of my favorite aspects is getting to share my music with so many talented individuals," Nester said. "I am surrounded by people that have this immense knowledge of music pedagogy. It is insane to be able to call myself one of them and to grow as an individual alongside them."

Despite her Florida origins, Nester had grown up a Michigan fan, and when she decided to pursue trombone performance, the studio at Michigan was high on the list. 

"We looked into the studio here and Professor Jackson," Nester said. "There was a little bio listed in his profile and I remember really resonating with what he was saying. I started practicing a ton to get up to the standard. I passed the pre-screening around the beginning of January. The second part was the 'live' audition, but it was during COVID-19, so it was on Zoom. I wasn't even nervous. I was by myself at home. An hour after that audition, I got an email from Professor Jackson. He wanted to have a lesson to get to know me. I felt really, really good about him as a teacher, and the school in general. It felt right."

Despite lapses in confidence, Nester continued to pass each checkpoint along the audition process, finally landing a spot in the trombone studio at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. 

"I could hear a voice in the back of my head saying 'don't get your hopes up; you still have to get in and get a scholarship.'" Nester said. "I got the email in the middle of March that I got into SMTD. I went downstairs holding my phone and sobbing telling my mom 'I got in!' The first thing I did was pull up videos of the MMB."

But the battle against doubt didn't end with the acceptance letter.

"Going into music is very challenging mentally," Nester said. "You have to keep telling yourself you are talented and you belong. There were many moments where I thought I was the worst musician at this school, but I have such a good support system and professors. I have been able to thrive here, to prove to myself that I belong." 

During her freshman year, Nester faced a difficult transition period that affected her ability to play. While she struggled to gain confidence in herself as a musician, her studio showed their support.

"Professor Jackson has a policy that you can come into his office whenever needed and just talk, no judgment," Nester said. "I went through a very hard transition freshman year where I had a mental block. I would go to play trombone and would just cry. He was very understanding and said 'take the time you need.' I am very fortunate that SMTD is so aware of mental health issues. Whenever I needed time off, people were understanding."

Vulnerability has proven to be a strength for Nester. 

"I am a very emotional person by nature," Nester said. "When something happens, my first reaction is to cry. I used to hate it. I thought of it as a weakness. I realized over the years that being an emotional person is very much a strength because it shows how much I care about the things I do. I try to be very kind to myself as a musician and as a person. It is very unhealthy to expect yourself to be perfect. If I make a mistake, I have to laugh at it and move on. Going into performances, I like to build myself up with little pep talks to the point where, no matter what happens, I am proud of what I have achieved in the journey leading up to my performances."

Nester's acting background has enabled her to have unique experiences as a performer. 

"There is a piece I performed with the symphony band in fall 2022 called 'Tarot' by Lindsay Bronnenkant," Nester said. "Each movement is a card, with a distinct sound very characteristic of the card. I come from an acting background, and so I love getting into character when I play. There was also an organ going crazy. When I found out I got so excited because I love the organ."

Nester is the trombone section leader for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. 

"I think my main goal as section leader is to carry on that legacy of being unafraid to be who you are," Nester said. "I know that the job given to me is music based, but I'm not going to limit myself to music because people are looking up to me as a person. So many people are not as fortunate to have a safe place growing up. I want to be able to give them that freedom. I want to be able to see people grow into the people they were meant to be." 

According to Nester, the trombone section's mantra is "do what it takes," a motto with unique origins. 

"One of my favorite traditions is that for every challenge, we have this sign that says 'do what it takes,'" Nester said. "Anyone on the sideline watching the challenge holds up a sign as a reminder. Originally, it was meant as a joke because the sign was found in a dumpster. It serves as a reminder that you can do anything if you are able to do what it takes."

Nester is in her senior year at Michigan, with a primary focus on trombone performance.