FORT RILEY, Kan. -- What started as a disappointment in the fourth grade eventually led to an Army career for Chief Warrant Officer 2 Matthew David, 1st Infantry Division Band commander.
"For me it's funny, music has always been one of those accidental things," he said.
His father is retired Navy and brought the Navy discipline into the home. The summer after his sister graduated from high school his father went to him, "he said to me 'Matthew, you want to learn an instrument?' I said 'sure,' I was thinking trumpet because that's what all the boys played."
The next morning, bright and early he was woken up for his first lesson - from his sister - on her clarinet.
She had played clarinet in high school and wasn't planning to bring it to college.
"He wanted to get his money's worth out of that clarinet," David said.
That first lesson set the course of his life. He stayed with the clarinet and became proficient. He would earn the coveted first chair in school and was able to help his friends.
"It was one of those early self-esteem builders for me," he said.
He continued playing through high school, earned a bachelor's degree in education and landed a job as a middle school teacher.
"I taught for a year and that was a very hard year," he said. "I commend every teacher who stays with it."
He went back to school and earned a master's degree in clarinet performance. It was then that he started learning about the military bands. He had been familiar with the premier bands in Washington, D.C., and also knew they were very competitive.
But, with the end of the grace period for his student loans looming on the horizon, he took a shot at it and sent one of his CDs to the Army Field Band at Fort Meade.
"They were like 'well it's okay. Have you ever considered enlisting in the regular Army?'" he recalled. "I didn't know there was a regular Army Band."
He signed on and soon was able to see how the pieces were falling into place for him in the Army.
"Being a musician and being in the military are two things I am very passionate about. Once again it goes back to my father's influence of just enjoying having order in the world," he said. "Even though it doesn't seem like that every day in the Army, there is a discipline. It gives me comfort, it's part of my personality. Then the music - music is such a big part of who I am."
Junction City Community Band
Faith also plays a large role in his life. It was through his connections at St. Xavier Catholic Church in Junction City that he hooked up with the Junction City Community Band.
"My faith is really strong, it's also part of who I am and music is always side-by-side with faith," he said.
Growing up his mother sang in the church choir and as he was learning to play the clarinet, she brought him to the church to play. Through the church and other organizations, his parents had raised him in faith and with the understanding of the importance of giving back to the community.
He has a sense of a spiritual connection to the Junction City Community Band because it was through the church that he learned of it and became involved.
Two years ago he started playing with the Community Band. In that time, he forged a partnership, which helps bring about 20 members of the 1st Infantry Division Band into the JCCB. This summer is his last because he will PCS in August.
"I don't know what the new commander will want, what his vision will be, but I just wanted to share our talents with the community," he said. "There are a lot of talented musicians here. I have a specialist who has his doctoral degree In music and I have at least two other people who have their master's degrees in music."
He has two more performances with the JCCB before he leaves. The free concerts are at 7 p.m. June 24 at the Junction City Opera House, Seventh and Jefferson streets; and at 7 p.m., July 4 during the Sundown Salute activities at Heritage Park.
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