Ninth grade was a particularly hellish time in 19-year-old Nathra Kem’s life.
After participating in his middle school band for a year, he was looking forward to joining the high school’s symphonic band to improve as a musician. Starting high school can be stressful for any freshman, but in 2020 that stress intensified as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the whole world.
When Kem’s school went online, he lost his connection with music.
Building relationships with others and having fun when performing make playing in a symphonic band special. When you sever those connections, the band becomes a jumbled mess.
“It was horror,” he said. He described his experience with virtual learning as a “rabbit hole” in which the basics were muting oneself and watching the conductor. “It wasn’t fun.”
With the ability to only hear himself while watching a glorified metronome, rehearsals became boring practice sessions for nonexistent concerts. “The concert was literally like [you] record something, then he [band director] puts it all together,” Kem said. “It wasn’t worth it. No one watched it either.”
Deprived of what made playing music rewarding, Kem was close to quitting and never playing again. “Music wasn’t fun anymore,” he said. “I almost dropped [the class].”
Despite his frustration, he still signed up for band his sophomore year, hoping it would be better.
Five years later, he now plays professionally for ensembles all around Northern California in hopes of one day playing for the world’s best.
Kem, a percussionist from Petaluma, has played for more than 10 ensembles around Northern California. These include Santa Rosa Symphony, North State Symphony, Ukiah Symphony, Symphony of the Redwoods and Santa Rosa Junior College ensembles like Symphonic Band, Orchestra, Choir and more.
Beginnings, Trials, and Success
He got his start in eighth grade, deciding to try something new. “My family was never into music,” Kem said. “I decided, no, let me try beginning band, that sounds fun. So I joined without having any musical background at all.”
Kem was put on the trumpet his first day of class, but at first, he couldn’t make a sound.
“I hated it. I was gonna drop band and not do music ever again,” he said. But when his band director suggested playing percussion, he saw a “big booming drum” and decided to try it.
Not only did he enjoy percussion, but he quickly caught up. Even as a beginner, he swiftly became a leader, helping two other beginning percussionists catch up.
“As a kid, I’ve always been very driven and focused and wanting to be the best I could be,” Kem said. “I picked it up really easily and was able to get things done fast.”
After his COVID-stricken freshman year, he entered sophomore year looking to become even better after not making the school’s top band. “I wasn’t good, not gonna lie,” Kem said. “But then in my junior year, I said to myself, ‘No, let me lock in.’”
Through his junior and senior years, he focused on playing timpani, and with hours of practice and dedication, he earned invitations to the Sonoma County Honor Band and NorCal Honor Band.
In spite of this achievement, he felt like his band director wasn’t giving him the recognition he deserved.
“They didn’t show much attention to me,” Kem said. “They saw my growth, but didn’t say anything about it. It was hard.”
After graduating from Casa Grande High School in 2024, he enrolled at SRJC as a music major. Once he started college, Kem decided to take his commitment to music more seriously.
The treacherous journey to the top
Joining a world-class ensemble requires natural talent and hundreds of hours of practice. Full-time spots for any symphony across the world are limited and highly competitive, but Kem saw them as mere obstacles on his path to becoming the best player he could be.
His work ethic has been a grind since joining SRJC. He practices a minimum of one to six hours every day, which adds up to 15-20 hours every week. This helps him keep up with his applied music lessons, rehearsals and ensemble gigs. As a freelance musician, practice is vital. Ensembles can call in at any time — from one month in advance to the last minute. Kem said, “For Santa Rosa Symphony, they called me the Monday of [concert week] and the rehearsal was the next day. ‘Like, can you play?’ ‘Yeah sure!’”
His dedication does not stop there. He drives thousands of miles commuting to school from Petaluma, and to Sonoma State, Ukiah and Fort Bragg for gigs.
“Sometimes I like it, sometimes I hate it,” Kem said. “I’ve had my car for a year now, and I’m already at 20,000 miles.”
Despite all of the tribulations that come with being a musician, his family inspires him every day to continue his path to becoming greater. “My family are the biggest supporters in my life, and I love them so much,” he said. “I’m not able to do anything I’m able to do without the loving support of my family.”
Coming from a Cambodian background, his family grew up in the midst of war under the Khmer Rouge regime. When his parents immigrated to the United States as teenagers, they knew no English and had no education, so they began working. Eventually, they were able to afford a house and provide support for Kem, giving him opportunities they themselves never had.
His father, 61, works as an arborist and wakes up at 4 a.m to drive to the “Park and Ride” in Novato, then commutes with his coworkers to Palo Alto where he does heavy physical work.
“He’s not complaining or anything like that… People say, ‘How are you doing this?’ How is my dad doing that at 61?”
SRJC band director Jerome Fleg said Kem has not only grown as a musician but has also shown his potential to join the best ensembles in the world.
“Nathra is focused and extremely dedicated,” Fleg said. “He’s a really good musician who has a constant drive to get better.” Fleg has known Kem through SRJC for two years, but they first met through an honor band three years ago.
“His playing just keeps getting a little more technique, more musicality, more awareness, more ability to switch gears from one orchestral piece to a band piece,” Fleg added.
Does Kem have what it takes to make it to world-class status? Fleg discussed the reality of the industry — how competitive it is and how musicians need to put in constant work for decades upon decades. But he believes Kem possesses the qualities required to succeed.
Fleg mentioned three qualities a musician needs in order to prosper in the field: Dedication, natural talent and receptiveness. “He’s a rare musician,” he said. “He’s that rare combination where he’s showing success in all three areas. I see him as such an unwavering focus, that yes, I see him going forward and being successful, such as a professional musician, director or teacher.”
As for Kem’s impact on bandmates, “There are so many countless ripple effects when Nathra is in the room,” Fleg said. “He’ll play well, so everyone else plays well. With the way he prepares his parts, the way he’s so dedicated and focused, but then also he really works great as section leader and as band manager.”
When Kem helps the band during rehearsals, he doesn’t describe himself as a section leader.
“Honestly, percussion section leader isn’t a thing in my opinion,” he said. “I think that we’re all the same because I think that what we can do is help each other.”
“There’s a mindset in percussion where if you’re on snare drum you’re the best. No, it doesn’t mean you’re the best, it just means you specialize in it,” he added. “In high school, I was not a good leader at all. I call myself more of a facilitator. Making sure we get shit done, making sure I help my section mates. If someone needs help, I will do everything I can in my power to help.”
SRJC percussionist Nicholas Jensen, 21, described how Kem is not just helpful musically but also with managing all parts of the section. “One of the biggest challenges of managing the percussion section is managing instruments between songs,” he said. “The unique thing with the percussion section is you don’t play more than one instrument.”
With all the multitasking that comes with being in the percussion section, being organized is an important task, as it helps make the transitions between songs more efficient and clean.
Kem also works with his peers to help them decide which parts they should play based on their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can work on their weaknesses to make the section sound better.
All this effort has made not only his section, but the band as a whole, better musicians.
World Class
This past semester, Kem discovered that he has what it takes to become a great musician, and he continues to evolve. He’s made huge strides and had many accomplishments during the fall semester.
On Aug. 24 he earned his first full-time percussion position at the North State Symphony in Chico.
On Dec. 6 he performed Brahms at his first professional concert with the Santa Rosa Symphony.
“I have potential. I can do this,” Kem said. “Every single day I practice; I changed my mindset. I used to always think I wasn’t a good player. I always hated and compared myself to others. But then I locked in, practiced and now I’m here. I’m in professional symphonies at 19 years old.”
This semester, Kem’s dedication guided him to play his first two professional concerts, with the Santa Rosa Symphony and Symphony of the Redwoods. In both concerts, Kem and Fleg performed together.
“It was really special,” Fleg said. “It’s a great feeling and gratifying when you’re playing with a good professional orchestra, and it’s really rewarding to see your students have grown so much and come along so far as musically and as people.”
Kem’s musical journey offered him invaluable life lessons over the years. “It taught me my whole personality,” he said. “It taught me a lot of life lessons that made me feel more connected to music.”
Kem also attributes his profound dedication to music, saying, “I wouldn’t have gotten that dedication if it wasn’t for music.”
Playing music makes Kem feel like he’s at home. “One thing I discovered is that I like to smile a lot when I’m playing,” he said. “I’m just having fun, you know? I don’t get really nervous while playing. I’m thankful to be here, I’m thankful that I can play, I’m thankful I’ve always had people around me. I’m thankful people are watching — let me give them a good show!”
Kem intends to major in music education when he transfers after spring 2026, hoping to get his master’s in music performance before continuing on his journey to play alongside the world’s greatest musicians.
