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<td width="343" valign="bottom"><p class="date"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="date" --><a href="default.html">3/29/04 • Vol.
128, No. 28</a><!-- InstanceEndEditable --></p></td>
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<td align="left" valign="top"><!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="sectionheadlines" --><a href="trumpet.jsp">Living
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<h1><font size="5">Living Life in 24/7 Time</font></h1>
<p class="subhead">With 17 units, two jobs, a show on KFSR radio and 30
hours of trumpet practice a week, Joshua McDonald redefines the term
"full schedule"</p>
<p class="byline">By Chhun Sun</p>
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<p align="justify">At just 19 years old, Joshua McDonald has accomplished
more things than most people do in their entire lives. While
McDonald juggles two jobs, three majors and 17 units, he still
finds the time to polish his jazz trumpet playing skills, practicing
his craft approximately 30 hours a week. </p>
<p class="byline">-Photo by Ryan Smith</p>
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<p>He’s nervous.</p>
<p> Joshua McDonald has done this sort of thing too many times to count.
He’s played trumpet at New York City’s prestigious Carnegie
Hall. He’s played with Buchanan High School’s celebrated
music program.</p>
<p> So why now is McDonald nervous?</p>
<p> Surely being the lead trumpet soloist for Jazz Band “A” at
the annual California State University All-State Jazz Ensemble isn’t
any more nerve-racking than what he’s done in the past.</p>
<p> On this evening in late February, he’s playing to a full crowd
in the Concert Hall. Surrounding him are elite jazz players from different
schools in the CSU system.</p>
<p> That’s enough to make him nervous. So there’s only one thing
to do—escape.</p>
<p> McDonald sneaks to an isolated area backstage to do some breathing
exercises. He does this for several minutes. Now he is calming down.
Now he is ready
to go on stage.</p>
<p>McDonald walks out wearing a black and white suit, his long auburn
hair tied in a ponytail. He sees eyes looking back at him from the
audience.</p>
<p> The second stage of nerves kicks in.</p>
<p> He sees his parents, who have been supporters since he first picked
up a trumpet in the fifth grade. He sees his siblings, who are following
in his footsteps. He sees his best friend who flew from New York for
the performance.The performance starts. McDonald fights his nerves.</p>
<p> He plays for almost two hours for the All-State Jazz Ensemble, as well
as Jazz Band “A.” In the end, the ensemble is rewarded a
standing ovation. The nervousness is gone, happiness sets in.</p>
<p> “
Every single one of those guys were amazing cats,” McDonald said
of his fellow participants. “I think it really lit the fire under
the rest of us here at Fresno State.</p>
<p> “
Now we just need to do some more practicing and rehearsing. I think our
band got really inspired to keep going on, because I know I certainly
did.”</p>
<p> McDonald, 19, and the jazz ensemble are currently preparing for their
Jazz Band “A” concert set for March 30.</p>
<p> Through his achievements, McDonald has remained a young man of quiet
determination and humility. This demeanor is what he uses in other
aspects of his life, from his studies to his campus radio show, both
of which
he approaches with the same passion.</p>
<p> Dr. Michael Caldwell noticed this when he first met McDonald more than
a year ago.</p>
<p> Caldwell, assistant professor of trumpet and director of jazz ensembles,
knew McDonald was a talented musician because of his high school background
and the way he talked about his passion for jazz.</p>
<p> “
He is really devoted to his music; he doesn’t have to talk, he
just plays” Caldwell said. </p>
<p> It’s strange because at first McDonald did not enjoy playing the
trumpet. His love for music didn’t develop until he was mentored
under the guidance of Paul Shaghoain, a music director at Buchanan High.</p>
<p> “
He gets you really involved and helps to perfect you,” McDonald
said. “He will always remain high on my mentor list.”</p>
<p> His commitment to academics at Buchanan High granted him a Smittcamp
Scholarship to Fresno State. He then started taking classes in 2002,
and within months was offered his own jazz show on the campus radio
station KFSR, FM 90.7. Every Wednesday from 6 to 9 a.m., he plays new
and old
jazz music and discusses the music with local callers.</p>
<p> “
There are a couple of people who call in almost every show to talk about
jazz, which is pretty cool,” McDonald said. “We reach a small,
but loyal audience.”</p>
<p> Again, there’s that passion.</p>
<p> In his fourth semester, McDonald is triple majoring in philosophy,
psychology and political science. He is taking 17 units, while managing
two jobs
as a staff assistant for a City Council member Brian Calhoun and representative
of an Internet cabinet company. But he still manages time to practice
on his trumpet about 30 hours a week. And during his spare time, he
plays local gigs with his trio, the Hoods.</p>
<p> “
This need to know everything I possibly can comes from music,” McDonald
said, who admits he is not completely sure why he decided to triple major. “What
music did was it made me want to keep bettering myself and perfecting
everything I did.”</p>
<p> While bettering himself, McDonald donates his efforts to helping others.</p>
<p> By May, he will no longer exude “a hippy, intellectual vibe” due
to his auburn hair, because he will sacrifice it to an organization dedicated
to help children with leukemia, called “Locks for Love.”</p>
<p> There is at least one more chance to see McDonald before he cuts his
hair, at the Jazz Band “A” concert March 30 at the Concert
Hall. It will start at 8 p.m.</p>
<p> “
I like the opportunity to help kids out with cancer; I’m going
to do it a couple more times until I have to keep short, respectable
hair,” McDonald said, chuckling.</p>
<p> He doesn’t seem too nervous about the hair cut. Yet.</p>
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