THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2010
Updates
Marching band is hard for me. It doesn't come easily. I have 75% of the music memorized, I just can't get it with my feet. I have a hard enough time just marching. Parent preview is tonight, but I'm going to fake, because playing and marching will mess me up.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2010Parent Preview
The performance went pretty well for the third official run through. I was closer to making my favorite set. When we were done, my mom, who doesn't know much about music said she could tell I wasn't playing, since I wasn't moving my fingers. I told her that I'd make it look like I was playing when she got on the field too. She also said that it looked like I knew where I was going.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
"How Good Do Your Guys Want to be at Our First Competition? Show Me, Don't Tell Me."
I can't believe we only have about four more rehearsals until our first competition. For me, that's a scary thought. What motivated me is that my band director told everyone that he's going to have helpers follow people around to see if they're playing, since he feels that a lot of the band isn't playing. I wasn't really playing until about a week ago. I decided that I'll play as much as I can now. Before, I would play when we were at a hold and when we were in a block just moving forward. I'm trying now to play when we marching in a line, and as much as possible.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2010
I couldn't march in time and play at the same time if it would save my life, as the expression goes. I "walk and play" as my drill section leader puts it. I need to march and play, and march to the beat. I'm off the smallest bit, and when I'm around people who are right on, I look really off.
Listen to what I wrote my first year. "My mom says that she thinks this will be my one and only season in marching band. Apparently, other parents have asked her if I'm "lovin' it." Let me tell you, so far I'm not. It's a lot to sacrifice. At least I can say, for the other 2/3 of the people in my grade who didn't do marching band, at least I tried it for myself. So if I don't love competing, I'm not going to do marching band again."
Sunday, September 19, 2010 My Feelings on Marching Band
Marching band is also frustrating because it's really hard for me. I'm just not that coordinated to march in time, play from memory, and keep good technique all at the same time. My mom told me at the competition yesterday, she sat next to some ladies she didn't know. Apparently, they were practically begging her to not let me drop marching band, and they said the first year's always the hardest. It seems like people are always giving me suggestions, and there's no way that I can remember everything they tell me.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
"Okay Guys, Let's Get'em"
Of course, we always have rehearsal before a competition. You could tell it was competition day by the level of stress and the amount of verbal instructions going around. I was getting a little frustrated. I was exhausted from the football game the night before, and was feeling a little emotional. So people always get on my case for flute angle, marching in time, and posture. I need it, but sometimes I don't like the way they try to tell me. One person came up to me and said,"Alexis, you need to tuck your butt under. It's October." I said that there's too many things to concentrate on. She said,"Well, everyone has things they all need to focus on." Because I was exhausted and a little emotional, I was ready to cry. I was just thinking about marching in time, and not my posture. My brain prioritizes things, and picks to do one thing at a time. In the show, I really tried to focus on my posture. When we do a run through, I always think in my brain,"What have people told me for this part of the show?" I can literally hear that girl in my head when we get to certain parts if the show.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2010Of course, we always have rehearsal before a competition. You could tell it was competition day by the level of stress and the amount of verbal instructions going around. I was getting a little frustrated. I was exhausted from the football game the night before, and was feeling a little emotional. So people always get on my case for flute angle, marching in time, and posture. I need it, but sometimes I don't like the way they try to tell me. One person came up to me and said,"Alexis, you need to tuck your butt under. It's October." I said that there's too many things to concentrate on. She said,"Well, everyone has things they all need to focus on." Because I was exhausted and a little emotional, I was ready to cry. I was just thinking about marching in time, and not my posture. My brain prioritizes things, and picks to do one thing at a time. In the show, I really tried to focus on my posture. When we do a run through, I always think in my brain,"What have people told me for this part of the show?" I can literally hear that girl in my head when we get to certain parts if the show.
Post Feelings
"I can't wait for the rest of the season. I think I will do marching band again next year, since I won't be the main focus for technique, people will be more focused on the freshmen. Plus, as the ladies at our first competition said, "The first year is the hardest, please don't let her quit." It's nice to be a part of something so much bigger than you are."
"I can't wait for the rest of the season. I think I will do marching band again next year, since I won't be the main focus for technique, people will be more focused on the freshmen. Plus, as the ladies at our first competition said, "The first year is the hardest, please don't let her quit." It's nice to be a part of something so much bigger than you are."
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
"It's That Time of The Season"
Some of the clarinet upperclassmen were helping me with the new visuals. I told them that I still can't play and march in time on the field. One said,"You're a flute, so they probably won't hear you." So true, and definitely to my advantage. I can play and march in time when there aren't any direction or speed changes, but that doesn't happen very often on the field.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2010
This 'N That
"It’s always interesting to hear people’s first impression of you. So anyway, yesterday, before rehearsal started, this clarinet came over to talk to me. She’s the music section leader for her section. I was told something along the lines of how proud she is of me, and how I work hard. Apparently, the first day of band camp, she thought, “Oh no, here comes a freshman who doesn’t know what the heck she’s doing, and I’m going to help her, so hopefully by the end of the season, she’ll be up to par.” Well, the part of being the ignorant freshman was true; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I have learned a lot since band camp, and next year, I’ll merely be reviewing my skills. Hopefully, it will be a little easier."
Saturday, August 13, 2011
"It’s always interesting to hear people’s first impression of you. So anyway, yesterday, before rehearsal started, this clarinet came over to talk to me. She’s the music section leader for her section. I was told something along the lines of how proud she is of me, and how I work hard. Apparently, the first day of band camp, she thought, “Oh no, here comes a freshman who doesn’t know what the heck she’s doing, and I’m going to help her, so hopefully by the end of the season, she’ll be up to par.” Well, the part of being the ignorant freshman was true; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I have learned a lot since band camp, and next year, I’ll merely be reviewing my skills. Hopefully, it will be a little easier."
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Latest Happenings
So, a few things have happened.
*I can play and march a bit. I play and march the easier sets where I have the music memorized. I think I can march and play about 50% of all of the show we've learned.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
First By Default
As we warmed up musically in the arc, I looked around taking stock of all of my fellow band members, and I wondered how much better life could get. I mean, the band fights and argues and some people can grate on my nerves and not be serious, but the communal feeling prevails. The weather was gorgeous. How much better could life on Earth possibly be? I am so incredibly blessed. This is one reason I love band.
Monday, November 14, 2011
“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”
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.
I'm so glad that I kept this blog these four years, I just wish that i had blogged more! Now, I can go back and read and laugh at my thoughts, feelings, and struggles.
1) My Biggest Regret? Wishing a moment away. Maximize
every moment because life passes so quickly.
2) Never give up. As cliche as it sounds.
1) My Biggest Regret? Wishing a moment away. Maximize
every moment because life passes so quickly.
2) Never give up. As cliche as it sounds.
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