He juggles, but he’s not a clown, he’s a musician.

Besides being in the Applied Music Program, 23-year-old tuba player Abel Rios, performs in the jazz band, the brass ensemble, the wind ensemble, the orchestra, the Saturday band and sings in the chorale.

He also has two jobs, and he tutors.

While all these activities may lead to a nervous breakdown for some, Rios said he has it all under control.

“It’s funny, because I still have a lot of free time,” Rios said.

“You get to a certain level where you practice and practice, and things just sort of fall into place. Once a performer has mastered them, he doesn’t have to practice as much.”

Rios has had many years of practice. Having played the clarinet since he was 4 years old, Rios said he decided to start playing the tuba in eighth grade when his school band needed a tuba player.

“The other kids were too small to pick it up; I was the only one big enough,” he said. “When I first brought it home, my mom was like, ‘What is that thing? It’s huge!'”

Huge as the instrument was, the opportunities it gave him were even bigger.

In 2002, Rios landed a three-month gig playing at Disney’s California Adventure Park.

“For the first time in my life, I had a real, professional job,” Rios said. “I played music all day and I had to give my best because I was playing with pros.”

Since then, he has started working at Disneyland, where he plays part-time as a member of the band Bayou Brass.

But even after all his years of experience, Rios said he still gets nervous before performances.

“If you don’t get nervous, there’s something wrong,” Rios said. “Being nervous is being excited. You can calm yourself down, but it’s good to be nervous.”

“The one thing I think about is, I’ll never know who is listening. It could mean a job or something else,” Rios said. “It gets my heart pumping and excited about getting up there and getting it over with.”

As much as he loves performing, Rios said he plans to become a music teacher.

“I decided I had a better future as a music educator,” Rios said. “As a teacher, you’re guaranteed a secure job.”

Besides, teaching is something he would not mind doing, since he does it regularly.

“Teaching is my job and my passion. The greatest feeling is when a kid comes to you and they walk out sounding better than before; you know you’ve taught them something,” Rios said.

Being a teacher, Rios said, is a rewarding job and is something he would like to do.

“You’ve got to love your job,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re just miserable.”

“You’got to love your job,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re just miserable.”