A local high school student has a very good reason to blow her own horn—literally.

Tamara Vaughn, a freshman at Santa Fe High School, is one of just eighteen students nationwide between the ages of 11 and 14 to make it to the semifinals of the prestigious 2007 National Trumpet Competition, which will be held in Virginia in March. During the four-day event, Tamara will have an opportunity to attend performances and lectures about trumpet music. But of course, the big event will be her solo performance for the judges of the first movement of the Concerto for Trumpet by J.M. Hummel.

“I’m a little nervous, but I’m also really confident because I know it’ll be fun,” she said. “I’ll get to meet a lot of new people, a lot of important people, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Tamara began playing about five years ago. She says she fell in love with the trumpet after listening to her older brother play.

“I love it because there are so many sides to the trumpet,” she said. “It can be loud and fun and it can also be soft and smooth and lyrical.”

Tamara devotes a significant amount of her time to her musical passion. Currently she’s taking two music courses at Santa Fe High School. She takes lessons outside of school with Dan Schilling, Assistant Professor of Trumpet Instruction at the University of Florida and Kathy LeVay, who is currently the band director at Howard Bishop Middle School in Gainesville. She also practices from 45 minutes to an hour each day.

Meghan Watkins, Tamara’s current band director at Santa Fe, says that kind of dedication to her music sets Tamara apart from other young musicians.

“She’s got a tone and technical skills that can only come with the practicing that she does day in and day out,” said Watkins. “There’s nothing that keeps her away from her horn. She’s really all about being a better trumpet player.”

Even with the time spent on her music, Tamara still manages to excel in the classroom, even in honors level courses.

“The work ethic she has applies to all her other studies here too,” said Watkins.

Not surprisingly, Tamara says she plans to make her career in music.

“I’d like to maybe go into a symphony orchestra or even just play by myself,” she said. “That’s what I’ve been looking forward to for the past three years.”