Guest Conductor with the GMMDV Middle School Jazz Band

So I was asked by San Gordon, a music teacher who used to teach at Charleston, to conduct the Middle School Jazz Band for the Green Mountain Music District Five Festival.  It took place at the College of St. Joseph's in Rutland.  I left Newport a bit later than I wanted to leave, around 6:05, got some McD and hopped on the Interstate.  It was just under a three-hour drive, so I should have arrived just before 9:00, but a wrong turn in Rutland delayed me by about 20 minutes.  Arrival into the rehearsal did not go as I expected - at 9:15 they were basically sitting there waiting!  The schedule said 9:30, and I thought everyone would be introduced in one big greeting, but that was not how it went.  So at 9:30 I started rehearsal.  Oddly enough, they didn't have stands.  When we began, they were looking at the floor, or the back of a chair, or propped it up in a case.  Some stands were brought later, much to my relief!  Some students didn't get the right music either.  Ugh.

They sounded good, right from the start.  They were a bit nervous, but they warmed up pretty quickly.  We were able to work on articulations and form early on.  The drummer was this tiny kid named Angus who played great.  Very solid.  Trumpets bells were too often down, but they played well, too.  The saxes were very strong, especially 1st alto & 1st tenor.  Only one trombone player, but when he belted it out he got it.  Sometimes he wasn't too confident, especially on the piece he was sight-reading!  I was surprised at how many of them volunteered to solo on the one piece I opened up!

The rehearsals went on all day, and it was probably too much.  When we got to mid-afternoon, fatigue was setting in and they made silly little mistakes.  So did I, actually.  The concert was tremendous.  Angus' drumset was up on two sets of risers, and the kids played so well.  The crowd was HUGE.

Angus - drums

Oziah - keyboard (piano & B3)

Ben - guitar

Henry - bass (cool, electric upright bass!)

Levin - trombone

Cameron tpt1

Meghan tpt2

Taylor tpt3

?? & Cameron (another one) - tpt4

?? & Zack - bari sax

Ethan - tenor 2

Katelyn - tenor 1

Katie - alto 2

Caleb - alto 1

PROGRAM:

Lester Leaps In, Moondance, Runaway Baby, Mambo #5, and the House of the Rising Sun

It was a very long day - I got home, after a long drive, at about 11:00.  The drive was easy because the performance was really uplifting.  I got paid well and had a fun day of music with some great kids.  Awesome.