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Music is his backbone

When it comes to music, perfection is what 17-year-old Ben Smalls III strives for.

BROOKSVILLE - Ben Smalls III is the kind of guy who knows what he wants and how to get it.

Even for an adult, it's rare, but for a 17-year-old high school senior trying to balance his passion with the tediousness of homework and the stress of being a teenager, it's an accomplishment.

On a recent Friday night, Ben made his debut as one of two drum majors conducting the halftime show at Nature Coast Technical High School's first football game.

"All my practice and all the years I've played music led up to that," Ben said.

He joined the Powell Middle School band program in the sixth grade. His inspiration was his father, Benjamin Smalls Jr., who played in Hernando High School's band and even traveled to Washington to play for the president.

"My dad played the sax, and he always used to tell me about things he did in his school band," Ben said. "I really liked the things he used to do and the places he used to go and the music that he played."

Now, Mr. Smalls said, he sees a little of himself in Ben.

"He's precise in his music, just like I was precise in my music," Mr. Smalls said. "And seeing him conduct, his movements are great."

When Ben joined the band, his teacher piqued his interest in one instrument for an unusual reason.

"My sixth-grade teacher told me the French horn was one of the hardest instruments to conquer," Ben said. "I wanted to be real good at something, so I figured why not try the hardest thing."

Now, after six years of playing the French horn, he realizes there may have been other factors in his decision.

"It has such a mellow tone," Ben said. "It's an instrument that really moves me. The way it sounds sometimes makes you want to cry."

Ben also plays the baritone, because it's another instrument with a distinct appeal.

"I love the baritone because of its range," he said. "You can play it as low as a tuba or as high as a French horn. It has a wide range of octaves."

Ben literally got to try his hands at a new musical endeavor in front of a packed crowd at the Friday night football game. He conducted the first half of the halftime show, titled Bringing the Elements to Life. It was his first show as drum major in front of a large audience. The other conductor was Bryan Dano.

"Oddly enough, I wasn't nervous at all," Ben said. "I guess it was because I was prepared. When I got up to the podium, it was my time. I told myself I was here. I'm meant to be here."

Ben's parents saw the show and were impressed.

"It was awesome," said his mother, Jackie Smalls. "He did such a good job. We're very proud of him."

Nature Coast Technical band director Merritt Tilson said that Ben was a good leader for the band and that he has developed into a person with the qualities it takes to conduct.

"I think he did really well," Tilson said. "He had a lot of energy and emotion. He has blossomed a lot this year. He's become very dedicated, and I see leadership characteristics in him that I did not see last year."

Ben said he has been encouraged by his development and hopes to get better at his instruments and even more involved with music.

"I would consider music my backbone," he said. "My world is surrounded by music. I don't go a day without music. If one day I just stopped doing music I don't know where I would be."

To keep music in his life, and to prepare for the next level, Ben works hard.

He said he tries to set aside two hours each night to practice.

"It's an ongoing thing," Ben said. "I strive for perfection so I practice all the time."

Ben practices so much that his mother said it sometimes gets too noisy around the house.

"Especially when he first started," Mrs. Smalls said. "He was playing the French horn at all hours of the night. We're all trying to sleep and he just kept going. But his calling is music. He just loves it."

Ben loves music so much that he plans to major in it (along with medicine) in college and maybe even become a high school band teacher.

"I love seeing bands at the high school level," Ben said. "I can see people that worked just as hard as me. It's just one of my dreams to be a band teacher."

As the football season progresses, the color guard will be incorporated into the halftime show, making it more complicated.

"We're going to have all kinds of beautiful things," Tilson said. "It is going to change the show and make it clear to the audience what we're trying to express."

Ben said he is excited about taking on a larger role and conducting more people.

"He conducts the band, and the color guard follows the band," Tilson said. "The leadership he has to show will be expanded because there will be more people, and he will step up to it."

Ben said he looks forward to not only the new intricacies of the show, but also to his life in music for the long run.

"It's just what makes me feel alive," he said.