It’s 4:30 am, and the city of Seattle is deep in slumber. Suddenly, the roar of an engine somewhere in northeast Seattle tears through the muffled darkness. Garfield senior Carl Majeau speeds through the streets behind the wheel, whipping around roundabouts and gunning through intersections. He’s headed to swim practice, where he’ll tear through the water for a few hours before heading to first period. After school, he’ll have another swimming workout before heading home to practice his music, get some dinner, and do his homework.

In a few weeks, Carl will be taking a break from his packed schedule. He’s being flown to New York, where he will be paid to perform with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, alongside greats such as Wynton Marsalis.

“It’s higher than I’ve ever expected to go,” Carl admits. The orchestra wrote several arrangements of nursery songs for the theme of the concert. “Since they’re the best in the world, it should be pretty great,” he says. Two other high-schoolers nationwide were invited to perform.

Carl’s musical career began when he picked up the clarinet in fourth grade at Lowell Elementary. Since then, he’s played the bass clarinet, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, and the tuba. He’s attended the Essentially Ellington Jazz competition with the Garfield Jazz band every year of high school. Last spring, Carl left New York with a new award: the Essentially Ellington Ella Fitzgerald Outstanding Soloist award, which honors the top soloist in the competition.

“The award was a great honor for me as a jazz musician,” Majeau says. “And it gave me huge opportunities for performing.” Just last month, he played at the Seattle Symphony with Marvin Hamlisch, and award-winning composer.

Despite performing next to world-famous musicians, heading the Garfield Swim team, managing several AP classes and filling out college applications, Carl isn’t fazed. “I’m busy all the time,” he says, “which just forces me to use the time that I do have to its fullest potential.”

He also attributes his success to his perpetual optimism. “I always try to look on the bright side. It’s one of the ways that I hold everything together. I just always have faith that things will turn out well.”

Although fame and fortune may lie on the horizon for Carl, he assures me that he will always be a Bulldog. “I love Garfield so much. Everyone reps that purple and white, and I can dance in front of the school in my speedo.”

How will he show his allegiance when he’s playing in front of a packed crowd at Lincoln Center? “I might just have to break out the purple suspenders,” he says.