When it comes to illnesses and disabilities, the most important thing is to not see them as limitations.
You can still chase your dreams and find a way to accomplish all that you want. Take Brandon Olander as an example. He suffers from scoliosis and still takes on physically intense activities such as drumming. The boy never misses any rehearsals because he loves playing in the drum corps—and he always wanted to be a member of Blue Devils, an award-winning drumline!
Today, Brandon Olander is a world-renowned percussionist from Tucson, Arizona.
It all began when Brandon was 10 years old. He stumbled upon a YouTube video of the Blue Devils drumline and fell in love with the art form. He kept on begging his parents for sticks and a drum pad until he got what he wanted.
“I was in love with drum corps from the moment I found out about it,” says Brandon.
This determined youngster practiced four to six hours a day, every day, teaching himself how to follow along to drums corps snare lines. Then he had an opportunity to test what he has learned, and the first official drumming performance was at a local jazz club when Olander was 12.
It felt so great that Brandon decided to form a band called Warpstar with two of his best friends.
In the same year was also his first Blue Devils audition. At 16 years old, persistent Brandon earned his first contract! We can’t even imagine how happy and proud Olander must have felt at that moment. For more information, check out the video where Brandon’s story is being told in a lot more detail.
A lot of practicing is very challenging in Brandon’s condition, but the brave young man never gives up.
Life on tour with an ensemble is quite busy. Sometimes, the Corps rehearse up to 12 hours a day. Imagine that kind of hard work in the summer heat!
The Blue Devils repeat it over and over again, doing their best to perfect those 12 minutes of marching and music.
It goes on like that every day for three months while they travel across the country and live in buses. All that practicing is then followed by a performance for thousands of people, every night.
It must have been difficult for Brandon to adapt to such a regime, but his abilities are all the more inspiring for it!
Whether he’s going through back pain or not, Brandon gives his 100% to the thing that makes him happy.
This courageous young man one stands confidently next to drummers that are almost twice his size!
You’re watching a video of Colin’s first audition for a highly acclaimed drum line, the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, in 2012. It’s easy to spot Brandon because he’s the smallest in the line, but the huge smile on his face says just how happy he is to be there.
His focus is impressive, and it’s hard to believe that he mastered the skill at such a young age!
The Blue Devils’ instructor, Scott Johnson, described him as “a small guy that has the talent and hands of someone twice his age.”
When the audition was finished, all the drummers smiled at Brandon acknowledging the amazing results of his hard work.
In his first two years with the Blue Devils, Brandon won two Drum Corps International World Championships.
The greatest success came with winning the DCI Performers Showcase Snare Drum Solo competition. It was a well-deserved victory.
If everyone pursued one thing in life as hard as Brandon pursued his drumming career, what a great place of extraordinary accomplishments the world would be.
Thank you, Brandon, for inspiring us all to strive!
Watch the full performance in the link below:
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
