Glacier High School senior Nathan Connell carried a tune before he knew musical concepts such as rhythm, tempo and pitch.

He also carries a 4.0 grade-point average and a school track record in the 800-meter run.

“My family always talked about me, you know, whistling before I even knew what music was really. I started playing piano probably in second grade,” Connell said.

Connell is a passionate percussionist, yet he didn’t start out with those instruments.

In sixth and seventh grade, Connell learned to play trumpet and electric bass. When he moved from Wyoming to Montana he enrolled in West Valley School. There were enough trumpet players in the band, so he picked up the trombone —  until he broke his arm after a week.

“I couldn’t work the slide any more, so I didn’t know what to do and figured out how to work the drumstick, so that’s how I became a percussionist and played drums for the rest of the year and loved it,” Connell said with a smile.

As part of his music repertoire, Connell is a member of band and jazz band and sings in the concert choir and Echoes Choir. His performance has earned him spots on the All-State band and choir and All-Northwest choir.

One of his mentors throughout high school has been Glacier Band Director David Barr. Connell began performing with the Glacier Symphony and Chorale his sophomore year through Barr, who serves as the symphony’s timpani/percussion section leader.

“They needed a couple extra members for one of their concerts and that was kind of a turning point because I played with them and I absolutely loved it,” Connell said. “That has been where my drive for performance has come in.”

Connell has played about 10 concerts with the symphony when his busy schedule allows. One particularly notable experience performing with the symphony was when he filled in for Barr as lead percussionist. Performing brings out an excitement and nervousness that is unlike athletic competition.

“If you’ve ever heard a piece of music that was so good that you get goose bumps,” Connell said, tapping a fist into his palm. “When you have that — I get that all the time playing and singing  — that’s what makes me want to continue performing — is those moments where it just clicks and you get goose bumps.”

Connell’s talents aren’t limited to music.

The National Honor Society member earned Advanced Placement Merit Distinction at Glacier by completing six Advanced Placement courses.

He also plays bass guitar in the band Bodie, Brown and the Bass with friends Bodie Henderson and Levi Brown.

“We started the band in eighth grade and kept it going,” Connell said. “We get together and jam. We do a variety of stuff. It’s a lot of original compositions and some funk and bluegrass.”

When he wasn’t in music rehearsals, he competed in track, cross country (where he served as captain his junior and senior year) and speech and debate. He has also played basketball.

In the community, Connell volunteers his talents to train youths in the Highlanders Track Club. As a freshman, he became a state-certified basketball referee and officiates games primarily at the elementary and middle school level.

“You kind of have to be thick-skinned and develop a way to tune out the crowd because every call you make, half the crowd isn’t going to like it,” Connell said.

Between rehearsals, practices, schoolwork, college auditions, volunteering and filling out scholarship applications, it has been a tough balance — and a lot of late nights — for Connell.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” Connell said. “It’d be way harder for me to do all this multitasking if I wasn’t passionate about it.”

To keep himself organized and on track, Connell outlines each week’s activities.

“This year I bought a white board,” Connell said.

To relax, Connell plays ultimate Frisbee and does “slacklining.”

“You ratchet that [flat nylon webbing] between two trees and walk on that. It’s kind of like tight-rope walking,” Connell said. “For me it’s almost like meditation.”

In the summer, Connell will continue his job working for Kalispell Parks and Recreation  summer day camps.

“That’s a blast. I just get to work playing with kids all summer,” Connell said. “I just started there last summer.”

In the fall, he will attend Morehead State University in Kentucky and major in music education. Connell plans to join the drum line.

“Drum line is huge in the South,” Connell said.

After college, Connell said he will decide whether to go directly into teaching or pursue a master’s degree and begin a career as a professional recording artist.

“My dream job would be to be a percussionist for the Seattle Symphony and to play on a famous movie soundtrack,” Connell said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.