PARADE SEASON... continued

So our first parade of the season was cancelled, but there’s another one! Our 2nd parade will be Monday, May 31, on Main St. in Newport. It will begin at 10:00.

This is a fun parade because there's a BIG audience, and we get to play the song ("Stars & Stripes") a lot. We start up near the Family Dollar and march down to the Causeway bridge near Gardner Park. We don't march into the park, though, and we don't take part in the ceremonies there. I always hope that my more mature students will stay for them, but I don't force them to stay. There's one sharp corner, right at the beginning, but other than that it's a real easy route, too. After that, I walk back up to get my car. It's usually a really good day, and hopefully it doesn't rain - we don't march in the rain!

PARADE SEASON!

First parade of the season today! And it rained..... Parade cancelled. On the up side, though, kids were very disappointed. They really wanted to march. Love to see the enthusiasm. I'm not sure we were really ready for it, but at least the kids would have known what it was like and what they needed to work on (though it's pretty obvious, they need to memorize the music!)

CONCERTS

This was the first time in my career that 100% of my healthy students attended both concerts at my schools!  Kids were right into the concerts, and were really ready.

In Derby the Advanced Band had some trouble during the dress rehearsal- we actually had to stop briefly during Manchester March and regroup.  The Beginning Band had a student drop their instrument, and although it was still playable he was understandably upset.  In the evening, everyone from both groups really watched me well.  I missed a cue for the Jazz Band when I started enjoying playing my bass a bit too much!

In Newport we had a strange day that began with no dress rehearsal.  I do wish I had another chance to conduct the concert.  I missed several cues, and didn’t exaggerate the dynamics as I would have liked.  I felt like my head wasn’t in it 100%.

Next year I think I’d like both concerts to be before April vacation.  The Newport kids have one week to have Stars & Stripes memorized.  Of course, they’ve had the music for quite a while but very few have worked on memorizing.  Next year we should also play Stars & Stripes WAY WAY earlier.

SUPPORT!

I am so lucky to have the support of the teachers and the administrations at my schools. When there was an interruption to the regular schedule, teachers went out of their way to get me a band rehearsal, and even suggested an extra one, since the concert is next week. What a great bunch of people!

There is at least one nearby school that allows NO rehearsal time for the band. They have lessons, but cannot play together. And yet, the administration there wonders why they have a hard time with band concerts! Needless to say, that teacher is now looking for a position elsewhere. The system is just fostering failure.

At least partly because of their support, I really feel like this was one of the best concerts ever. The kids had some mistakes during the afternoon assembly, but they fixed them in the evening. Good stuff.

Music Furniture

I'm hoping to get some new & very useful music furniture at school next year! This stand will hold my music keyboard, laptop, and speakers. This way I can more easily use playalong CD's with students, as well as letting them hear themselves on recordings more easily.This whiteboard will be really handy too, because I can use it in lessons and completely prepare for Band, wheeling it out to the band room when it's time for band.
Hopefully I'll have these in the fall!

Music Festival 2010

The NEK Elementary Music Festival was a great success again this year. Mr McRae conducted the band, and I was very impressed with his work. I've only ever seen him working with older students, so I wasn't sure what this would be like. Very successful. Mr Hughes conducted the chorus, and they were successful too. In fact, the chorus received the first standing ovation I've ever seen at the festival!

It was interesting for me, because I had some stomach problems- I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, and I just wanted to roll up in a ball and sleep. BUT I got through it, with some good pictures & good stuff learned from Marty. He had the kids clap a lot more than I do, and it seems like it really helped with the tough rhythms. He sometimes had one group count constant eighth notes while another group clapped their rhythms. Also, at one point everyone counted the snare drum part so the winds would lock in with them. It was very cool when he had the trombones stand in one section because they couldn't be heard, even though they had the melody. They stood up and could be heard!

HONORS BAND
Marty McRae—Director

March of the Aliens– Barry Gott
Üsküdar– arr. Michael Story & Robert W. Smith
Colonel John– Fred Weber & Frank Erickson
Smoke on the Water– Deep Purple, arr. Paul Murtha

HONORS CHORUS
Wendell Hughes—Director
Sara Doncaster—Accompanist

Somos el Barro– Lorre Wyatt, arr. Estaire Godinez
Catch a Falling Star– Paul Vance & Lee Pockriss
Like an Eagle– Carl Strommen
Shenandoah– arr.Teresa Jennings
What Can One Little Person Do?- Sally Rogers
Turn the Beat Around– P. Jackson, G. Jackson

Band Quitting Season is OPEN!

So here is goes. Kids are too busy. They want recess. Basketball is cutting into band. Give me a break! Get this: mom buys a brand new, beautiful-looking blue trumpet for her kid (I was a bit worried about the trumpet falling apart, because it's Chinese-made, but that's irrelevant). This kid forgets to bring it for at least four weeks in a row. Then a note appears in my box from the parent saying the kid is quitting! Unbelievable! The kid forgets enough, so quitting is apparently the only option! I'm telling the kids about "Band Quitting Season" today, and that Band will still be here even if there's only four of them left! I think I'm going to be down to two percussionists soon, even though I started with eight! And so it continues....