To The Fullest, above all, is a celebration of life and hope. This piece was composed in memory of fellow UT Austin student and horn/mellophone player, Lauren Bajuk (2000-2022), who unfortunately passed away in a tragic car accident on June 24th, 2022. Despite the piece being born out of an unfortunate event, it is a tribute to how Lauren lived her life and treated those around her. 

According to her mother, Jane Bajuk, “Lauren made those around her feel comfortable, valued and loved. She would want you to remember her hearty laugh, her thirst for knowledge, and her beautiful, full life”. 

When I was asked to write this piece by her band director, Dr. Cliff Croomes, I was honored that her band director asked me to write this piece, but I was struggling to capture her life into a few minutes of music. He invited me to her memorial a few weeks later, where I was able to hear from and meet her dear friends and family. While I did not personally know Lauren, I saw many of my friends and classmates there, who all told funny and adventurous stories about her, as they were smiling through their tears. 

At her core, Lauren was a joyful person who did not want to waste a single minute of time. Her sense of humor and joy was contagious to all, and through writing this piece, I was inspired by her legacy that she left.

When starting the piece, I had a conversation with her mother and brother. While we talked about her life, I asked her mother what she wanted the piece to sound like. She said Lauren would not want a sad piece, but rather one that encapsulated her joyful personality and deep care for the people around her. 

A piece that would inspire us to not waste time in the life we were gifted. 

A piece that would inspire us to walk out of the concert and go live life like Lauren did:

To The Fullest.