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GALION — When asked if she would be willing to switch from trombone to tuba in the fifth grade, Cameron Fullen believed nothing would come out of it.
Time proved her wrong.
Fullen, a 16-year-old junior at Galion High School, said while she started participating in the musical field almost seven years ago, it has always been a part of her life.
“I’ve been extremely shocked at the multiple achievements I’ve created through the tuba,” she said.
All state band for the second year
The All State Band is titled as the best honor band in all of Ohio, Fullen said.
She added it requires an audition to get in and there are multiple musical experts that play.
The All-State Band brings together Ohio’s best for a weekend to create beautiful and exciting music. Fullen said she’s proud she earned the opportunity to participate again.
“My first year auditioning for All State was my freshman year, which I did not get in,” she said.
Fullen said while she is incredibly hard on herself, the mindset only fueled her determination to try again the following year. This led to her receiving second chair tuba or the second ‘best’ tuba.
“Getting into All State is unbelievable,” Fullen said. “I can barely explain it with words.”
Fullen noted she can be very hard on herself, which can undermine her accomplishments. However, this achievement proves to her how far she has come in the almost five years of playing the tuba.
“I have watched Cameron grow as a musician, getting better every time she plays her tuba,” her mother, Nikki Black-Cox said. “I am so proud of her hard work and dedication to getting better.
“I can’t wait to see where her music journey takes her.”
Making connections through her music
When she began advancing her talents with the tuba, Fullen heard about the Mansfield Youth Orchestra, through her private tuba instructor, Crestline band director Brian Griffin.
“Mr. Griffin has brought me so far and deserves more than half the credit for my talents,” Fullen said. “The astonishing part is, he doesn’t even play the same instrument as me.”
Her favorite aspect of the Mansfield Youth Orchestra is all the talented musicians she has met. She added it was the first introduction she had to string players and difficult music that intrigued her.
“Multiple people from honor bands I have attended have given me their socials, and I could not have been happier to have met such amazing people,” she said.
Along with Mansfield Youth Orchestra, Fullen also plays as the sole tuba player for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO), which she also heard about through Griffin.
“I was given approximately two weeks, while other auditions were given months in advance to prepare their music,” she said. “Due to these circumstances, I had no hope I was going to get in.”
Fullen said COYO proved her wrong when they emailed to tell her she’d been accepted into the orchestra.
“My favorite aspect of COYO is all the difficult music we play,” Fullen said. “Although we are only playing two pieces for our upcoming concert, the music is lengthy and contains difficult parts in every section. I greatly enjoyed the challenge.”
She has learned COYO ranks among the best pre-professional orchestras in the world.
A skill set she will take with her through life
While Fullen is only planning to minor in musical performance, she promises that music will never leave her life.
“It is too important to me, to simply stop,” she said.
Marching band, jazz band and all the other bands she participates she said have become crucial parts to helping her grow in life.
“I feel as though I have gained multiple life skills through playing the tuba,” she said. “I have learned to deal with difficult and random situations.”
One example, Fullen said is when she first joined COYO. She was expecting a tuba in a different key, explaining the fingerings were completely different.
“As I am still learning my new C tuba, my previous one was a double B flat, I am facing many frustrations,” she said. “Although this is true, I continue to put in the repetitive hours to better myself and my mastery of the tuba.”
Future generations of musicians
Fullen believes the effort into music has declined since 2020 — and it needs renewed.
For any band member younger than me, never stop trying. Always keep trying.
Cameron Fullen
“I promise to any new musician that you absolutely can do it, you just have to put in the effort,” she said. “And when I tell you I know it will get hard, I promise I’m telling the truth.”
She said even if you switch an instrument like she did, keep trying.
“The only other thing I would like to add is my immense appreciation for my recognition of the tuba,” Fullen said. “Words cannot explain how grateful I am to music in my life.”
(More photos of Cameron Fullen. Provided by Nikki Black-Cox.)
