Recognition night was last night. It was just a fun time to laugh, eat, and have pictures taken.
This season has been pretty good. The show wasn't as good as last year. Also, our guard was more skilled. Besides that, I think I enjoyed marching band more this season. I knew more what was going on. I didn't have nearly the amount of upperclassman on my tail to fix things. I was actually one of the people that, when the directors would name a spot such as "E," I could tell people where that was. I just needed my music.
I really want to band my senior year. Seniors get all of the special treatment. If I want to do it senior year, I might as well do it next year. Marching band is a passion, other activities are past times.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”
The opening quote was said by Dr. Seuss. So appropriate for the end of the season.
It's championships! Yay! Last run through
So many people have attempted to make it special. People have brought in treats, written notes, etc... We're going through a spirit line.
Rehearsal was short, but hopefully effective. Maybe my band director and drum majors weren't paying attention, but they didn't make us re bring up our horns. I hope that was because it was decent. My high school marching career is pretty much halfway over.
Okay, so here's my lowdown on the run through. I'm a perfectionist in marching band with myself. I always focus on what I did wrong. I don't remember what mistakes I made last year. Those don't matter. Anyway, my biggest fault was not being in the final arc. It felt like an eternity. It wasn't an emotional show for me. Mechanically, it was decent, but it didn't invoke any emotions within me.
We got sixth place, and our score went down from the home show. That was a real disappointment. Everyone felt low scored. That run was better than the home show. Our almost two year undefeated guard was beaten. One of them said that they got second.
The band that got first had a 97. That's practically unheard of. They got all of the special awards, too. Apparently, they are a big school with a lot of money. They can pay directors instead of taking volunteers,
In the next few years, I'll miss certain people more than others. I'll miss my marching band mentor, the hilarious trumpet player, and the flute that I was next to for half the show. My marching band mentor has done so much for me. She's tuned me a million times, fixed my piccolo, answered my questions, taught me to march better, and she was even my second grade reading buddy. The flute that was next to me for half the show is super nice. She patiently answers my questions, and she always asks me what time it is. She always either cares about my random babbling or at least pretends to.
I think for me, marching band is more of a passion, and other activities are a past time. After awards, we cheered and played the fight song on kazoos one of our drum majors gave us. That was great. When we went to get pictures taken, our band director was giving us a post-performance, post awards pep-talk. The marching band is truly a family.
It's championships! Yay! Last run through
So many people have attempted to make it special. People have brought in treats, written notes, etc... We're going through a spirit line.
Rehearsal was short, but hopefully effective. Maybe my band director and drum majors weren't paying attention, but they didn't make us re bring up our horns. I hope that was because it was decent. My high school marching career is pretty much halfway over.
Okay, so here's my lowdown on the run through. I'm a perfectionist in marching band with myself. I always focus on what I did wrong. I don't remember what mistakes I made last year. Those don't matter. Anyway, my biggest fault was not being in the final arc. It felt like an eternity. It wasn't an emotional show for me. Mechanically, it was decent, but it didn't invoke any emotions within me.
We got sixth place, and our score went down from the home show. That was a real disappointment. Everyone felt low scored. That run was better than the home show. Our almost two year undefeated guard was beaten. One of them said that they got second.
The band that got first had a 97. That's practically unheard of. They got all of the special awards, too. Apparently, they are a big school with a lot of money. They can pay directors instead of taking volunteers,
In the next few years, I'll miss certain people more than others. I'll miss my marching band mentor, the hilarious trumpet player, and the flute that I was next to for half the show. My marching band mentor has done so much for me. She's tuned me a million times, fixed my piccolo, answered my questions, taught me to march better, and she was even my second grade reading buddy. The flute that was next to me for half the show is super nice. She patiently answers my questions, and she always asks me what time it is. She always either cares about my random babbling or at least pretends to.
I think for me, marching band is more of a passion, and other activities are a past time. After awards, we cheered and played the fight song on kazoos one of our drum majors gave us. That was great. When we went to get pictures taken, our band director was giving us a post-performance, post awards pep-talk. The marching band is truly a family.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
We have three more run troughs until the show's put to bed. My band director's slogan is to leave nothing on the field, meaning to work hard. One upperclassman guard member mentioned this, and she also talked about how she didn't always work the hardest. That's so true for me. I know most of my music, just not the last half of the tag. I wish I knew it. Oh well.
Last year was my year to learn to march. I know how to march this year, but I'm inconsistent. I'll have a great run through one time, and the next will be really bad. Also, I will either undershoot or hit a set perfectly. I feel bad for all of the people around me when they need to dress to me. If I do band again next year, that's one thing I want to improve.
I want to do band next year. I need to figure out what I'm doing with my life too. Being a marching band section leader would look REALLY good on an NHS app, which would look good on a college app. Marching band would too. I have kind of intense classes right now. Nothing like last year. Last year, I pretty much had fluff classes. A couple of days ago, I stayed up until 10:30 or so Papier-mâching and painting a project, which of course was a band night. Many of my friends are in band, too. Of course, there are some people who get on my nerves, but that's life.
One of my regrets from last year is not staying for awards for a competition. It was the second competition of the double competition day. The excitement of the band when we knew we got first would have been priceless. That was in one girl's senior speech, and she mentioned how we apparently didn't do too well in that circuit the year before. Also, I didn't get to hear senior speeches from last year.
Championships.
That word marks finality to the season. The very last time we'll every march that show with this band. Next year, the members will be different. People will drop out, seniors will graduate, and freshman will hopefully join.
Our biggest local rival and our rival from last year will probablly beat us. I'm thinking a fourth or fifth place finish. We'll see.:)
Last year was my year to learn to march. I know how to march this year, but I'm inconsistent. I'll have a great run through one time, and the next will be really bad. Also, I will either undershoot or hit a set perfectly. I feel bad for all of the people around me when they need to dress to me. If I do band again next year, that's one thing I want to improve.
I want to do band next year. I need to figure out what I'm doing with my life too. Being a marching band section leader would look REALLY good on an NHS app, which would look good on a college app. Marching band would too. I have kind of intense classes right now. Nothing like last year. Last year, I pretty much had fluff classes. A couple of days ago, I stayed up until 10:30 or so Papier-mâching and painting a project, which of course was a band night. Many of my friends are in band, too. Of course, there are some people who get on my nerves, but that's life.
One of my regrets from last year is not staying for awards for a competition. It was the second competition of the double competition day. The excitement of the band when we knew we got first would have been priceless. That was in one girl's senior speech, and she mentioned how we apparently didn't do too well in that circuit the year before. Also, I didn't get to hear senior speeches from last year.
Championships.
That word marks finality to the season. The very last time we'll every march that show with this band. Next year, the members will be different. People will drop out, seniors will graduate, and freshman will hopefully join.
Our biggest local rival and our rival from last year will probablly beat us. I'm thinking a fourth or fifth place finish. We'll see.:)
Senior Speeches 2011
Holy cow. The end of the season't just come so fast. It doesn't feel like the end of the season. I haven't been feeling well this whole week, so I missed the play off game yesterday. We won, so we'll have at least one more game. I think we're supposed to go pretty far. Senior speeches were this morning. They were mainly about the marching band being like a family and how fast it really does go. Too true. My marching band career is about half way over. Didn't it just start? Other points commonly mentioned were about how their parents made them join marching band and how they loved it, and how they've made so many friends. After the speeches, the band and guard formed a prayer circle, and everyone who wanted to prayed. It was amazing.
One memorable speech made by a hilarious marching band senior was accompanied by a "diagram" of the band family. It was him,"married" to another upperclassman senior trumpet girl, and they had their trumpet children. His "siblings" were the other upperclassman section leaders. And in turn, they each had their section children. His "parents," my "grandparents" were the drum majors, my marching band mentor was the "father," and the other drum major was the mother, since she's more nurturing. My "great grand parents" were my directors. The director's siblings were the other guard instructors, a combination of their names, and they had their guard children. He called my band director old. Everyone was cracking up.
One memorable speech made by a hilarious marching band senior was accompanied by a "diagram" of the band family. It was him,"married" to another upperclassman senior trumpet girl, and they had their trumpet children. His "siblings" were the other upperclassman section leaders. And in turn, they each had their section children. His "parents," my "grandparents" were the drum majors, my marching band mentor was the "father," and the other drum major was the mother, since she's more nurturing. My "great grand parents" were my directors. The director's siblings were the other guard instructors, a combination of their names, and they had their guard children. He called my band director old. Everyone was cracking up.
Monday, November 7, 2011
"Make Everyone Else Look Unexperienced"
Okay, so I'm a couple days behind on my blogging. I wrote this on Friday.
I'm not going to have time to blog tomorrow. It's our first ever home show, so there won't be any bus ride. In my mind, it's almost not like a competition because we'll be exhibition. My band director said that this is a really important score because it's out last score before championships. We'll be classified by ability for championships. Our score right now is pretty low, not because of our merit, but because our last competition was a low scoring show.
It's the last game of the regular season. We've lost once, but apparently, that game was in the preseason. That means play off games. I have mixed feelings. I like having school pride when we win. I don't really want to go. I'm going to be busy on Fridays until 5 or so, so i'll have to run home, eat, shower, dry my hair, and go to the game. My director said the play off games are required.
Post Competition:
That run was my best show: ever. I tried to exaggerate my dynamics, and my style was pretty good. I made one error. I thought we were one set ahead of where we were at that point. The general feeling from the band was that it was an awesome show. Guard, not so much. We got about an 89. Our biggest local competition got a 92.4.
It was phenomenal to hear the roar of the crowds as we marched on. They were more attentive since we were the home band. They clapped like crazy at our moments. It was great. I hope we do a home show again next year. We ran between the stands and the school many times.
The directors were pushing us hard. Even in our warm up time, they made us rehearse. There weren't any other competing bands, so we had the parking lot to ourselves. They pushed us hard all day.
On the ride home, my mom said something along the lines of how she thinks I'll do band next year. That's ironic, since she said last year that she didn't think I'd do it this year. My dad doesn't want me to join, but he's not going to prohibit me either.
P.S. The quote was something said by a tough guard instructor to the guard that stuck with me.
I'm not going to have time to blog tomorrow. It's our first ever home show, so there won't be any bus ride. In my mind, it's almost not like a competition because we'll be exhibition. My band director said that this is a really important score because it's out last score before championships. We'll be classified by ability for championships. Our score right now is pretty low, not because of our merit, but because our last competition was a low scoring show.
It's the last game of the regular season. We've lost once, but apparently, that game was in the preseason. That means play off games. I have mixed feelings. I like having school pride when we win. I don't really want to go. I'm going to be busy on Fridays until 5 or so, so i'll have to run home, eat, shower, dry my hair, and go to the game. My director said the play off games are required.
Post Competition:
That run was my best show: ever. I tried to exaggerate my dynamics, and my style was pretty good. I made one error. I thought we were one set ahead of where we were at that point. The general feeling from the band was that it was an awesome show. Guard, not so much. We got about an 89. Our biggest local competition got a 92.4.
It was phenomenal to hear the roar of the crowds as we marched on. They were more attentive since we were the home band. They clapped like crazy at our moments. It was great. I hope we do a home show again next year. We ran between the stands and the school many times.
The directors were pushing us hard. Even in our warm up time, they made us rehearse. There weren't any other competing bands, so we had the parking lot to ourselves. They pushed us hard all day.
On the ride home, my mom said something along the lines of how she thinks I'll do band next year. That's ironic, since she said last year that she didn't think I'd do it this year. My dad doesn't want me to join, but he's not going to prohibit me either.
P.S. The quote was something said by a tough guard instructor to the guard that stuck with me.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
"Always Work Hard, Be Honest, And Be Proud of Who You Are." {Competition #3}
Here's a good quote too long for the title:
"Marching band today isn't your grandmother or grandfather's marching band where the band walked out onto the field, stopped and played a couple of songs and walked off the field. These students are moving thousands of steps at high tempos all the while playing an instrument or using a piece of color guard equipment during one show."
~ John Carlin
The quote that's the tittle was said by Patricia Velasquez.
Okay, to make this post different, from here on out, I'm writing this post in third person.
As the marching band climbed on the bus to drive to there destination about an hour away, Alexis penned a couple of thoughts about marching band. First was frustration. She wanted to leave the football game early two days ago. The band was planned to arrive back at school at 11:30 or so, and she felt that she was going to be exhausted. Alexis was grumpy after competition #2, and she went to bed around 10:30 or so, and the competition today is much later. Another emotion by Alexis was one of a sense of fitting. She feels that she would miss the marching band community. A siren went off at the beginning of practice, and a hilarious upperclassman trumpet told the brass players to take their mouthpieces off and buzz with the siren. Only in the marching band. Jokingly, another flute player was told that Alexis felt left out.
*During rehearsal, the piccolos were called out for bad shoulders. The guard director (not the one who's said this in the past) told Alexis that her technique for marching backwards was good.
*Told by her marching band mentor, the band was one of two in the division. Her marching band mentor said that the other band isn't good. So Alexis knew from that moment that the band should get first. Another local band that was big competition wasn't at the competition.
*Alexis felt pretty confident. She felt that her part of the show locked in her mind. Previously, moving to a modified third position was a bit iffy, but it was more solidified in her mind after the three hour rehearsal.
*One other frustration was the amount of new material added to the show. The band was given a new sash to attach during the third part. They were only given one opportunity to practice attaching it to the Velcro that was sewn to the uniform. It wasn't at all graceful. It was more of a mad scramble to get it in the right place.
*Another frustration. A few weeks before, the band was given different music for the beginning of the ballad. Now, the directors wanted them to switch back to the original music. So for the ballad beginning, it was silent, music, different music, music. Alexis just wanted the directors to make up their mind and stick with it!
*A spin was added, too. It's horns up on one while spinning. Too much going on.
After Competition:
Everyone in the band felt that they had done well. Alexis made some little mistakes, but it's nearly impossible to have a perfect show. She got her sash across, but she didn't quite make her last set. The band was crammed in the stands. The poor band on the other side. They were crammed on both sides. Alexis, through marching band, has learned to do anything with gloves on. She can play and march the show with regular, uncut gloves, and she was writing with them on. Some people in the band were chatting with the band sitting near them. It was interesting to meet the "competition."
What Alexis is famous for in marching band:
1) Flinging fruit.
2) Not being able to get her lock open.
3) Always being prepared. She always has food.
After awards:
*First Place
*High Guard
*Seemingly tough judging
*Around an 84
*To Alexis, it didn't seem as much of a victory. A band mom told the band that they would need to get an 89 to keep up with the rest of the bands. The biggest local competition got an 87 at a different competition. Judging is different at every competition. Alexis felt that the band really needs to work for our upcoming competition.
Alexis started talking to an upperclassman whom she wouldn't normally have talked to. She found out that this year's seniors are 1/3 of the winds. The band is going to lose A LOT of people for next year. She told the upperclassman that she struggled, as an underclassman, to manage her time. She wanted to know how upperclassman with AP classes managed. She said that it's tough. The guard has had an undefeated streak for the past two years. Three years ago, the show was pointless. Four years ago, they were pretty good. The guard has been pretty good. Again, many of the really talented people will graduate.
"Marching band today isn't your grandmother or grandfather's marching band where the band walked out onto the field, stopped and played a couple of songs and walked off the field. These students are moving thousands of steps at high tempos all the while playing an instrument or using a piece of color guard equipment during one show."
~ John Carlin
The quote that's the tittle was said by Patricia Velasquez.
Okay, to make this post different, from here on out, I'm writing this post in third person.
As the marching band climbed on the bus to drive to there destination about an hour away, Alexis penned a couple of thoughts about marching band. First was frustration. She wanted to leave the football game early two days ago. The band was planned to arrive back at school at 11:30 or so, and she felt that she was going to be exhausted. Alexis was grumpy after competition #2, and she went to bed around 10:30 or so, and the competition today is much later. Another emotion by Alexis was one of a sense of fitting. She feels that she would miss the marching band community. A siren went off at the beginning of practice, and a hilarious upperclassman trumpet told the brass players to take their mouthpieces off and buzz with the siren. Only in the marching band. Jokingly, another flute player was told that Alexis felt left out.
*During rehearsal, the piccolos were called out for bad shoulders. The guard director (not the one who's said this in the past) told Alexis that her technique for marching backwards was good.
*Told by her marching band mentor, the band was one of two in the division. Her marching band mentor said that the other band isn't good. So Alexis knew from that moment that the band should get first. Another local band that was big competition wasn't at the competition.
*Alexis felt pretty confident. She felt that her part of the show locked in her mind. Previously, moving to a modified third position was a bit iffy, but it was more solidified in her mind after the three hour rehearsal.
*One other frustration was the amount of new material added to the show. The band was given a new sash to attach during the third part. They were only given one opportunity to practice attaching it to the Velcro that was sewn to the uniform. It wasn't at all graceful. It was more of a mad scramble to get it in the right place.
*Another frustration. A few weeks before, the band was given different music for the beginning of the ballad. Now, the directors wanted them to switch back to the original music. So for the ballad beginning, it was silent, music, different music, music. Alexis just wanted the directors to make up their mind and stick with it!
*A spin was added, too. It's horns up on one while spinning. Too much going on.
After Competition:
Everyone in the band felt that they had done well. Alexis made some little mistakes, but it's nearly impossible to have a perfect show. She got her sash across, but she didn't quite make her last set. The band was crammed in the stands. The poor band on the other side. They were crammed on both sides. Alexis, through marching band, has learned to do anything with gloves on. She can play and march the show with regular, uncut gloves, and she was writing with them on. Some people in the band were chatting with the band sitting near them. It was interesting to meet the "competition."
What Alexis is famous for in marching band:
1) Flinging fruit.
2) Not being able to get her lock open.
3) Always being prepared. She always has food.
After awards:
*First Place
*High Guard
*Seemingly tough judging
*Around an 84
*To Alexis, it didn't seem as much of a victory. A band mom told the band that they would need to get an 89 to keep up with the rest of the bands. The biggest local competition got an 87 at a different competition. Judging is different at every competition. Alexis felt that the band really needs to work for our upcoming competition.
Alexis started talking to an upperclassman whom she wouldn't normally have talked to. She found out that this year's seniors are 1/3 of the winds. The band is going to lose A LOT of people for next year. She told the upperclassman that she struggled, as an underclassman, to manage her time. She wanted to know how upperclassman with AP classes managed. She said that it's tough. The guard has had an undefeated streak for the past two years. Three years ago, the show was pointless. Four years ago, they were pretty good. The guard has been pretty good. Again, many of the really talented people will graduate.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
"One of the Best Ways We Set Ourselves Apart is That We Are Examples Of Success."
10-6-11
It's kind of frustrating rewriting the show. The director was trying to get the guard members through the band with all of the cuts. He was getting really frustrated with the way we were rehearsing, so we had to go to silent. I'm surprised. In warm up arc, I got the step outs of the new stuff.
10-7-11
Game: 10-7-11 Show: Auto mode Show
*I was complimented on my backwards style. My band director was giving feedback, and people were again told to watch me if they're near me in the show. That's like the third time in the last two weeks. Before he complimented me, he said that more people were trying the scissor style backwards marching instead of with knees. I guess that's why I stick out. I scissor my legs instead of using my knees. People started clapping after my marching band mentor told people,"This is where you clap." A few people congratulated me on the way back to the stands on my compliment.
*Lately, I can't march without playing or play without marching. Although it would be easier for me to play without marching. I know the show by notes. Okay, when I hit this B flat, I go backwards. We cut part of the closer, and I made mistakes when we were told just to march.
*I'm writing in the stands, and people asked me what I was doing. An upperclassman flute told me to write that flutes dominate. Here's his quote: "No other being can march the essence of awesomeness that radiates off the flute section when they take the field as one."
I have to say that the hardest part of continuing to blog is coming up with creative post titles.
It's kind of frustrating rewriting the show. The director was trying to get the guard members through the band with all of the cuts. He was getting really frustrated with the way we were rehearsing, so we had to go to silent. I'm surprised. In warm up arc, I got the step outs of the new stuff.
10-7-11
Game: 10-7-11 Show: Auto mode Show
*I was complimented on my backwards style. My band director was giving feedback, and people were again told to watch me if they're near me in the show. That's like the third time in the last two weeks. Before he complimented me, he said that more people were trying the scissor style backwards marching instead of with knees. I guess that's why I stick out. I scissor my legs instead of using my knees. People started clapping after my marching band mentor told people,"This is where you clap." A few people congratulated me on the way back to the stands on my compliment.
*Lately, I can't march without playing or play without marching. Although it would be easier for me to play without marching. I know the show by notes. Okay, when I hit this B flat, I go backwards. We cut part of the closer, and I made mistakes when we were told just to march.
*I'm writing in the stands, and people asked me what I was doing. An upperclassman flute told me to write that flutes dominate. Here's his quote: "No other being can march the essence of awesomeness that radiates off the flute section when they take the field as one."
I have to say that the hardest part of continuing to blog is coming up with creative post titles.
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