Graduating Senior Branden Haynie Answers Questions about His Time at BYU
Q: How has your BYU education prepared you for the future?
Haynie: BYU prepared me for the future through its unique combination of secular and spiritual learning. In terms of my major and career path, BYU prepared me with high-level classes taught by fantastic professors with great credentials. At the same time, I’ve been prepared spiritually by the required religion classes. I feel that I am prepared to find employment and pursue my career after graduation, but I also feel prepared to grow spiritually. I do believe those go hand in hand and you can’t neglect either one.
Q: How have you found belonging during your time at BYU?
Haynie: I found belonging with my peers in my classes. In the music program, I’ve had the opportunity to be with a lot of the same people in my classes. We were able to grow together, and over the years I’ve gotten to know them very well. As I got to know them, I created friend groups, found my place at BYU and felt that I had a family of sorts. I’m from Indiana and am very far from family so having people that I could count on meant a lot to me.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
Haynie: I plan on pursuing a master’s degree and a doctorate in trumpet performance.
Q: Which professor inspired you the most and why?
Haynie: One of my favorite professors was Jason Bergman. Although he no longer teaches at BYU, I had the opportunity to study trumpet with him for two years, and he is an incredible human being. He is one of the kindest and most compassionate people I’ve ever met. He is very responsive and always willing to help. One of my favorite things about him was how he connected the trumpet to the gospel. Every lesson was spiritually strengthening.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to current students?
Haynie: My advice would be to be patient with yourself. It’s so easy at BYU to compare yourself to others, and sometimes it can be disheartening because it seems like everyone else is thriving and is so smart and successful. Be patient with your growth and path and the progress that you’re making. Rome wasn’t built in a day – you’re not going to achieve what you want very quickly. Take everything one day at a time. Reflect on the growth that happens over a long period of time, and look back at the progress you’ve made over a year as opposed to over a week. If you do compare yourself to anyone, compare yourself to who you were a year ago.
Q: What was your most inspiring experience at BYU?
Haynie: The most inspiring experience I’ve had at BYU was getting to perform Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra at the Tabernacle in Salt Lake. It was a moment where I felt like the secular and spiritual met and culminated in this incredibly spiritual experience that I wasn’t expecting. Getting to play legendary music in a place that is sacred with musicians who are incredible was unforgettable. Words cannot describe the emotions I felt in that moment but I do know it left an impact on me forever.
Q: What is a performance you participated in during your time at BYU that you’ll never forget?
Haynie: One of my favorite performances was the first time we performed in the new concert hall in the Music Building. The acoustics are so amazing there. We played Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1,” which is my favorite symphony of all time. It was a great experience because it was a brand new building, my favorite piece and Kory Katseanes’ last performance as our conductor.
Q: Why is music important to you?
Haynie: Music is important to me because it is a language that heals people. It has provided healing to me in times of need, and I hope to be able to provide that healing for the people I perform for. I feel that music is a divine gift that God has given us to find healing and come together as families and communities. It is a powerful tool for touching hearts and transcending language barriers. I believe it is one of those things that will help bring peace to our ever-tumultuous world.