When he’s not improvising on the trumpet with a jazz-inspired solo, or rehearsing his latest musical number, Sam Burnham, a senior at White Bear Lake Area High-South Campus, is doing chemistry homework. Sam balances a rigorous schedule of practicing, rehearsing and performing, in addition to maintaining an outstanding academic record.
With the great Louis Armstrong and classic rock band Queen as his musical inspirations, Sam plays in the concert, pep and jazz bands, and has recently discovered a love for musical theater. “I had a minor part in my first show: Macbeth. It was so much fun, I was hooked,” says Sam, who has since been building his stack of playbills as a cast member in both high school productions, including Once Upon A Mattress and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as in community theater performances.
His advice for managing it all? “Don’t procrastinate,” Sam says. “Theater rehearsals can be three hours a night. I’ve learned never to put off an assignment if I can.” What’s in the future for Sam? “I hope to have a job related to chemistry and continue to participate in theater.”
