I'm Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream

by Richard Antoine White

Overview

"Powerful . . . equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching. White is a gifted storyteller." —Washington Post

From the streets of Baltimore to the halls of the New Mexico Philharmonic, a musician shares his remarkable story in I'm Possible, an inspiring memoir of perseverance and possibility.

Young Richard Antoine White and his mother don't have a key to a room or a house. Sometimes they have shelter, but they never have a place to call home. Still, they have each other, and Richard believes he can look after his mother, even as she struggles with alcoholism and sometimes disappears, sending Richard into loops of visiting familiar spots until he finds her again. And he always does—until one night, when he almost dies searching for her in the snow and is taken in by his adoptive grandparents.

Living with his grandparents is an adjustment with rules and routines, but when Richard joins band for something to do, he unexpectedly discovers a talent and a sense of purpose. Taking up the tuba feels like something he can do that belongs to him, and playing music is like a light going on in the dark. Soon Richard gains acceptance to the prestigious Baltimore School for the Arts, and he continues thriving in his musical studies at the Peabody Conservatory and beyond, even as he navigates racial and socioeconomic disparities as one of few Black students in his programs.

With fierce determination, Richard pushes forward on his remarkable path, eventually securing a coveted spot in a symphony orchestra and becoming the first African American to earn a doctorate in music for tuba performance. A professor, mentor, and motivational speaker, Richard now shares his extraordinary story—of dreaming big, impossible dreams and making them come true.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250269645
Publisher:	Flatiron Books
Publication date:	10/05/2021
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Richard Antoine White began his tuba studies at the Baltimore School for the Performing Arts, where he graduated with honors. He went on to receive his bachelor's degree at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and his master's and doctoral degrees at Indiana University. Dr. White was principal tubist of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra from 2004 until its untimely demise in 2011. He is now principal tubist of the Santa Fe Symphony and is in his tenth season as principal tubist of the New Mexico Philharmonic. He enjoys teaching at the University of New Mexico, where he is professor of tuba/euphonium.

Table of Contents

Prologue: I'm Possible ix

Part I Grow Great 1

1 On the Move 5

2 A Visit to Buckingham Palace 19

3 The Blizzard 25

4 Supermarket Wonder 29

5 House Rules 34

6 Sliding Board Lessons 39

7 The Kool-Aid Test 44

8 Trumpet Lessons 52

9 Band Nerd 56

10 Cracking 62

11 Saturday School 71

Part II Chance. Choice. Change! 75

12 Flip the Script 77

13 Pool Party 87

14 Yo-Yo Ma Should Be Sad He Plays the Cello 100

15 Any Given Day 105

16 A Stranger in the Distance 112

17 Us and Them 118

18 Crossing Over 124

19 Bridging the Gap 128

20 Brotherhood 137

21 Truth Meter 144

22 In the Tuba Basement 150

23 Life Is Fair Because It Is Unfair to Everybody 156

24 My Second Family 161

25 Keep a Dime in Your Shoe 167

26 On the Road Again, Businessman with a Tuba 171

27 Play It Again, Prometheus 181

Part III Pathways of Possibility 191

28 You Only Have to Win One 195

29 Fearless and Inventive 203

30 A Visit with Midas 207

31 Rooted 211

32 Going to the Mattresses 215

33 Invent the Future 222

34 Here, Now 229

Epilogue: The World Deserves the Best Version of You 235

Acknowledgments 243

Editorial Reviews

06/28/2021

White, principal tubist at the New Mexico Philharmonic, salutes “the people who saved my life” in a plucky debut that charts his rise from the streets to the classical concert hall. He begins by reflecting on his homeless childhood as a Black boy in Baltimore, where he and his mother sometimes slept in abandoned buildings. His life turned around when he was adopted by foster-parents Richard and Vivian McClain and took up the tuba, sticking with the uncool instrument despite schoolyard taunts. Thus began years of training at the Baltimore School for the Arts (where classmate Tupac Shakur rapped with him), the Peabody Institute, and Indiana University. White’s is a classic tale of grit overcoming adversity with a big assist from tough-love—“‘I will come up to this school and whip your ass in front of the whole class if you don’t change your attitude,’” declared Vivian when he slacked off his studies in middle school—and the mentorship of great musicians. It’s also an evocative portrait of ambition and artistic aspiration: “I heard tuba like I had never heard tuba before,” White writes of being outplayed at an audition; “I left knowing what you must sound like to win.” The result is a vivid, inspiring saga of talent sprouting in unlikely places. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Powerful . . . equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching. White is a gifted storyteller."
—Washington Post

"Resonant, beautifully wrought."
—Oprah Daily

"A painful, inspiring journey from start to finish."
—Zibby Owens, Katie Couric online

"An evocative portrait of ambition and artistic aspiration . . . a vivid, inspiring saga of talent sprouting in unlikely places."
—Publishers Weekly

"Remarkable . . . [An] exceptionally inspiring story of the power of perseverance and the saving grace of music and community."
—Booklist

"White writes passionately about his studies and relationships, his tone disarmingly direct, with flashes of lyric brilliance. This is a story of perseverance, hard work and a little luck; of love of music and the importance of community and both built and biological families. Readers will find his account touching and inspirational."
—Shelf Awareness

"The sweetest love song for his adoptive parents, for music, for miracles, and for those who supported White all along . . . [The] feel-best of feel-good books."
—Washington Informer

From the Publisher

★ 11/01/2021

White (principal tuba player, Santa Fe Symphony) writes a memoir of survival, redemption, success, failure, belief in oneself, and belief in the power of music. As a child in Baltimore, White was often homeless and was later raised by his grandparents while his mother struggled with addiction. He found a love of music that eventually took him to the Baltimore School of Arts, where he studied tuba as one of the school's few Black students. White writes about persevering even when plagued by failures and unexpected illness; more generally, he discusses how the arts are among the first industries to suffer when the economy declines and being laid off in 2011 when the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra shuttered during the recession. However, White says he never lost hope once he'd discovered his true passion and found his "home" in the people and places he committed to. The epilogue brings the book to a magnificent close as White discusses how educators can recognize children who may be struggling at home and help them succeed. VERDICT A necessary addition to memoir collections. White's inspiring story tells the power of pursuing one's dreams, no matter what obstacles stand in their way.—Elizabeth Ragain, Rogers Heritage H.S., Fayetteville, AR

Library Journal

If you are looking for an audiobook that will brighten your day and include short tuba interludes, look—or listen—no further. I'M POSSIBLE tells the remarkable story of Richard Antoine White, who was born into poverty in Baltimore and rose to become the first African-American to earn a doctorate in music for tuba performance. His path is remarkable for many reasons. White is a capable narrator who obviously brings authenticity to his story. His journey out of Baltimore never becomes maudlin and is always riveting. A further highlight is the brief but wonderful notes he plays on his tuba between each chapter—the production is worth a listen for those alone. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile

If you are looking for an audiobook that will brighten your day and include short tuba interludes, look—or listen—no further. I'M POSSIBLE tells the remarkable story of Richard Antoine White, who was born into poverty in Baltimore and rose to become the first African-American to earn a doctorate in music for tuba performance. His path is remarkable for many reasons. White is a capable narrator who obviously brings authenticity to his story. His journey out of Baltimore never becomes maudlin and is always riveting. A further highlight is the brief but wonderful notes he plays on his tuba between each chapter—the production is worth a listen for those alone. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile