By Kit Humbarger
Staff Writer
Junior Miles McPhee plays the national anthem at the start of Mira Costa sports games. He regularly plays for the baseball and basketball teams, and has also performed for the volleyball and cheerleading teams.
The idea of playing the national anthem came from McPhee’s involvement in the music program at Costa. As a member of the marching band, McPhee attends many of Costa’s sports games. He noticed that the national anthem was rarely played and offered to do it himself.
“Every pro sports game I’ve ever been to has always had a performance of the national anthem,” McPhee said. “I thought if I could bring that to Costa, it would make the games feel more professional.”
McPhee first started performing the national anthem last year, when his brother’s coach invited him to play the saxophone at the start of Costa baseball games. His performance was popular, so he reached out to other Costa teams.
“I just give [the coaches] my information and show them videos of me performing over the past few years,” McPhee said. “They like my services and want me to keep coming back.”
McPhee tries to attend as many games as possible, but he makes sure to play at the big games, like senior nights and rivalry games against Redondo Union. Despite his major commitment to the role, he insists on performing at no cost.
“[This job] is all volunteer,” said McPhee. “I like supporting the different teams and I think [the anthem] is a good touch at the beginning of a game. I’m happy to perform for any sports that are interested.”
Music has always been a big part of McPhee’s life. He’s a part of Costa’s Wind Symphony, Jazz 1 Band, and Marching Band; he also mentors the Jazz 2 Band. According to McPhee, his family has been a major influence in his music career.
“I have a twin brother who’s really into music, so he’s probably my biggest supporter,” McPhee said. “It’s great to have a brother who plays music because we can play together and give each other feedback.”
Before performing, McPhee likes to find a quiet room and fiddle on his saxophone, playing whatever comes to mind. According to McPhee, his impromptu warm ups help him get ready for his shows and combat stage fright.
“I just try to get my mind loose,” McPhee said. “I kind of play whatever comes to my mind, and once I do that I feel ready to focus on whatever I’m performing.”
Even though he gets a little nervous before playing for big crowds, McPhee isn’t scared of ruining his performances with little imperfections. Instead, he focuses on the beauty of the music and the reason for playing in the first place.
“At the end of the day, you play music to try to put some light in someone’s life,” McPhee said. “If you mess up, the people watching probably won’t know and will still enjoy the music.”
Leave a Reply