One of the most challenging aspects of music is patience, it requires to master or even begin to understand and become adept in it. This is especially true with some of the harder instruments that try your patience and temper day in and day out whether it’s in a concert setting or a practice room. One such instrument is the oboe. It’s an instrument that very few pick up let alone continue with the past a few years of practice and study. For this reason, it is known to be notoriously difficult but on the other hand, it is just as famous for the tone and purity of sound it can produce when in use by someone with a considerable amount of skill with the instrument.

Meera Bhatia, 9, is one such practitioner of the instrument. Starting in 5th grade like most other students in District 38 do, she picked up the oboe out of a wide selection of interests like the rest of her peers who wished to join the band program. Bhatia though is quite different however in that she picked the oboe and has stuck with it being the only freshman in the band this year and one of two in the school.

Bhatia’s music endeavors aren’t exclusive to school ran programs, however, as she is currently in the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony. A group of musicians from around the Pikes Peak region from all grade levels and all skill levels as well. Currently, she is the first chair, leader of the section, in the Youth Symphony’s second highest group. This is quite the feat for a freshman to accomplish as music in itself is a very competitive area to be in; not to mention being an oboe player as there are so few spots in ensembles for oboe players, usually only being only one or two places. Bhatia cites the biggest things when playing oboe is needing persistence and patience to play the instrument and one masters it.

“That can be a really challenging part of it too is not giving up and still keeping at it. If you’ve had a lot of auditions where you didn’t do so well and it wasn’t because you didn’t practice enough, it was because of your reeds or something else but continuing to keep at it,” Bhatia said.

Despite being so young in terms of music experience Bhatia has thrived off of competition and her unwavering commitment to her instrument and music. This leads her to practice multiple hours a day for both her Youth Symphony group and Wind Symphony here at Lewis-Palmer and when she’s not practicing she’s at rehearsal or keeping up on her academics.

Music is a common denominator among all people. It doesn’t matter the religion, race or country everyone everywhere can find a place in the music of some kind. For Bhatia, it is in her oboe playing that she finds comfort and peace in music. Finding your solace in music can be a challenge but finding it will change your life in unimaginable ways.