Send Sebi to Boston!

Welcome family, friends, and community to my page!! My name is Sebastian Saa, and I am a musician/performer specializing in Euphonium/Baritone. The purpose of this fundraiser is to aid in paying for the tuition expenses so I would be able to participate in DCI this summer with the Boston Crusaders. Very recently I have been offered a contract to perform with the Boston Crusaders, a world class DCI corps based in Boston Massachusetts. This experience will span over all of summer and for anyone that is interested in supporting me, I humbly ask that you take time to read this page and take consideration into donating any amount if you are able, as that would be greatly appreciated by me and my family!!

A common question that might be asked when looking at this page might be, "What is DCI"? (There will be a short video linked that does a great job of explaining what it is exactly). Essentially, DCI (Drum Corps International) is a professional musical/performing arts organization that has been cultivated since its humble beginnings in the post WWI era. This activity is competitively influenced with performances constantly occurring throughout the U.S and has elevated its status to being the second largest youth program in the United States, as they only allow marchers 21 or younger to participate. A summer tour for each team is comprised of three main components: Percussion, Color Guard, and Instrumentalist (Brass, piano, etc.). Each team that competes in a DCI season will undergo a spring training season, which involves about 12 hours or more of intensive rehearsals every day for the first few weeks of the season. Around mid-June is when teams will mobilize and perform in professional stadiums around the country, competing with other teams all the way until the World Championship, where only one can leave with gold. This competition is held at the famous Colts Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Now to talk about how I got into this sport and the timeline leading up to getting contracted. 8th grade was when I joined the band at my middle school, I went to an instrument petting zoo and could only make a sound on the euphonium, so I reluctantly began lessons with the teacher there to learn how to play. It was slow progress, but that all changed when my mom searched for teachers in my area to help me learn at a better pace (since I was behind all my peers) and found a player named Eli Canales, a ridiculously talented trombone player who was attending Claudia Taylor Johnson Highschool (same one I would attend) for his senior year. In the span of a few months, I got to recognize him as a friend and a mentor who had gotten me good enough to jump from the 3rd to 1st band in that small amount of time. My parents supported this newfound talent of mine by buying me my very own horn (which I still use to this day) and putting me on course to join CTJ's (Claudia Taylor Johnson) marching band. I decided to stick with band for all 4 years, one of which I was head section leader of the baritone section. Doing band at CTJ helped me to develop core life skills, memories for life, and amazing connections with friends, teachers, and directors from crazy programs who sought to aid me if I were to ever consider taking this to the next level. In the middle of my high school career, my cousin introduced me to DCI, and I became mesmerized by it, intimidated, but in awe of the activity and what it detailed. I proceeded through high school without giving it too much thought until recently when I enrolled at UTSA to study Microbiology. Graduation made me realize that my youth is slowly slipping and doing DCI would be proof that I truly explored the limits of my potential, so I decided to do SOSA (UTSA marching band) for my first semester to prepare. There I met Ethan Vancuso, an extremely kind and knowledgeable junior who was actually a three-year DCI vet, marching Genesis for '21 and '22 and aging out with the Boston Crusaders for '23. He saw my burning passion for DCI and his younger self in me, which propelled him to train me for the Boston Crusader audition. I was only given three months until the day, but he believed we could get there. In those three months I not only transformed my playing and marching skill to a professional level, but I also learned many life lessons from Ethan, lessons that will only be magnified in DCI. I completed my audition last weekend and have been given this golden opportunity to march with one of the best corps in the world.

All 100% of the funds will go directly towards the Boston Crusader DCI tuition, the tuition will be covering things such as food expenses, instruction, transportation, uniforms, equipment, housing sites, and any other necessities.

I can't thank you enough for reading this far into my story, from middle school band to being accepted into a world class DCI corps, this journey has been a major part of my life. Doing DCI has been a dream of mine for a long time, and while recently ignited by the flame of passion, I've always truly loved DCI and the impact it has on one's life. It is a life changing experience, and any donation contributing to the fees associated with this dream will mean the world to not just me, but to this sport and everyone associated with it. Thank you again for spending your own time reading this page and for supporting this new chapter of my life!!