French Horns

I played my new normal concert horn today. It sounds so cool! Its nice to have a high school horn. Its also really weird. I keep messing up all the fingerings for one. I suppose I'll just have to adjust. Anyway, I am nervous about tomorrow. I hope we do well. Well, I suppose I'll take my leave now.

TDAH

P.S *In a hick Southern drawl* Whyy ain't there nobahde postin' on this here blog? Its fer us fench horns ain' it? So post!

New Blog

I have a new Blog! Check it out on the link to the right side of the screen (Chris's Blog).

Proud Section Leader

I'm so proud of you guys.....you had a sectional without me. I just wanted to say that your enthusiasm and determination is encouraging, even to upperclassmen around you. Just remember to apply what you know and never cease to try you best.

Sentimental post comes to end.......tam biet you guys.

Band Nerd

I found out that I am an official band nerd today. I was walking around the mall and I found out I had a tuner in my pocket. hmmmm. So this is what it feels like. I also know that every one of my stories about summer will start out as "One time, at band camp..." Anyway, that's okay. I enjoy it.

TDAH

Band Camp Cumulative Post

Ok, here it is, the end of band camp. I've created a week calender so everybody can come in here and post there thoughts on that day. Everybody can use a different color (I ((Chris)) will use red). (Tara is green) (Michael is blue)

Overview
I can describe band camp in one word...different. It was certainly not what I expected it to be. It must be the only place where I feel like I'm in the army at boot camp and on vacation with friends at the same time (weird feeling). You get up at five-thirty so you can work out, run a mile, and then march. Then eat breakfast and have rehearsal until lunch. Then you rehearse some more and then have afternoon break. This is where the vacation feeling starts. Then you eat dinner and after that you march some more (army feeling again). It may sound horrible and a lot of work, but it's actually surprisingly fun. I figured marching would be just a lot of work. And I find out it is a lot of work, but it's fun work (if that makes any sense). The band is great. At least we are all weird (I can finally fit in! *grin*). The common room becomes an interesting place during break. One could sit there and have fun just watching the charades game that happens every night (I shall say no more). Anyway, it wasn't what I expected, but it turned out for the better.

It's my last year, its my last year.....tralalalalala.....hahahahahaha.....I never have to come back again, the only problem is that I probably will. Oh well, I'll be back next year guys, with no cast, so I can run around AND yell. Beware!

Band Camp. Boot Camp. Two letters difference and otherwise the same. Except that it can be fun and that you have friends there. I did not expect to survive band camp. I thought it would be somewhat easier. Turns out it's not. But I did have fun with all the marching and hey, only three more years and I'm done with all the hard work, although I will come back and torture all the people fortunate enough to end up there.

Sunday
Well, we got here today. We all went to the ACC and Mr. Rutherford lectured us on band. It was an interesting conversation actually (especially his stories). The singing and dancing was hilarious. I didn't know that we were allowed to be so immature like that. The last time I sang Father Abraham must have been first grade. Anyway, the night was horrible. I couldn't get to sleep until two-thirty. The cabin was so loud! I couldn't stand all the snoring and moving and some people even talked in their sleep (although that was pretty funny to hear them talking to themselves).

I love stories, I love singing, I love stories and singing hehehehe (Imagine the little song, I got a dollar, I gotta dollar, I gotta dollar hehehehe from the little rascals) Anyway, dancing was fun. I haven't sung some of those songs since last year at band camp. But at drum major camp we did sing a lot. Anyway......keep your notes you guys and bring them back next year, and embellish them and compile them. They'll mean something new to you every year. In fact, just keep them in the same place you keep your Dr. Tim notes. You'll be taking those notes on Wednesday. The girls' cabing was so quiet when the lights went out but no one fell asleep till 2 or 3am so it was difficult to get up the next day.

I'm here. Mr. R talked to us about band. At first I thought that the singing and dancing was silly but the 4 year old inside my head got to me and I had fun. Getting to sleep was fairly easy for me because I had my trusty music with me to filter out all the noise.

Monday

Wow. So this is what band camp is like. Up at five-thirty. Run a mile. March. Breakfast. Rehearsal. Lunch. Rehearsal. Break. Dinner. March. Bed. It just all came rushing through. But charades during break was interesting. Catherine, Keyes, and Adam sure are getting into the making up charades thing. They are even creating a journal full of ideas (why am I not surprised).

Its not as hectic as all that. There are the luxurious air conditioned car rides in between. MUAHAHAHA........at least for me there was No serious you guys, I would much rather be able to walk than have to catch rides with everyone for the next few months. Catherine is just ambitious like that. I heard some funny stories about charades but I slept through every afternoon break. By the way, Monday night, learning the entire opener drill was amazing.....I'm very proud of you guys.

Gee Whiz. I've never worked that hard in a long time. Between morning workout and sectionals and rehearsals and marching, there was pain and somehow, enjoyment. I relished every moment of break until the charades thing came up and then I was sucked in to the crazy vortex that is Catherine, Keyes, and Adam and their crazy ideas. I don't think I will ever be the same after that.

Tuesday

You should have seen your faces. It was priceless. Tuesday night when we marched through the drill while playing the opener for the first time was hilarious. It took every ounce of control not to burst out, but I would have only been laughing at the rememberance of what it felt like the first time I had to march and play at the same time. But you got the gist of it eventually and its getting better. Just that first time was great. You had the deer in the headlights look, the little voice inside you head was going "oh crap." (you'll find out more about the little voice from Dr. Tim) Your expressions said that you were thanking God that your feet could still move enough to avoid crashing into people and you maybe played half the entire piece, and that's not even deducting for accuracy. Am I right? It's alright, my freshman year was even worse. I had El Toro to put on the field and you'd better believe, it was hard.

You must be psychic tara. Deer in the headlights...nice. Is that really what I looked like? I felt like a frog in front of the semi. Anyway, the first day may be hard but the second day's the hardest. You are sore and still going through shock on the first day, and then you have to get up and do it again. But, thats okay. I don't really mind, it's time I got something to do anyway. I went swimming today. (Mr. R kept us from going yesterday, but I would rather have the opener on the field). I got my own little pink band with glitters on it! *shows it off in the light from the computer screen and laughs* The swimming test to get it is SO stupid. You go two strokes and they say "Oh! You can swim! I'm so sorry I doubted you." grrrr. The charades is still going strong (they found out that Andrew and me are their favorite actors).

Chris, Chris, Chris. Proper grammar would be Andrew and I not me. Anyways, I felt like a half dead skunk staring at the vulture circling me that was looking quite hungry and not particularly picky about how dead their next meal is. The stress of the pain and tension in my muscles will wear over into tomorrowand I will have to do the same things over again. Charades was as crazy as ever.

Wednesday

Wednesday....hmn....Wednesday, what happened on wednesday....ah now I remember. Wednesday was when we started working on Nessun Dorma. Isn't it absolutely breathtaking? I love that piece. You're so lucky to have a truly moving production number. Most of them are just sort of wimpy woodwind features, but this one is a masterpiece. Also, we started cleaning drill that night. Cleaning drill? Can you believe it? We usually don't start cleaning drill for another week. It's simply amazing.....sniff sniff.....I could almost cry. No, really you guys, I'm proud of all of you, just get your horns up in the air and blow.

Yea, we worked on Nessun, but you forgot Snow Caps. *heaves a sigh of frustration*. BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! That's all I can remember from that rehearsal. I'm so glad I can play it much better and louder now. Then there was charades. I had to be a person "jumping on a pogo stick with a dinosour in hand". It took me thirty minutes to act that one out. Anyway, I just feel numb. I'm getting used to the workout thing. Speaking of numb, my finger went numb on Wednesday, and it stayed numb until Monday of the next week! Darn mellowphone *cringes in fear from Tara's face of anger at this puny insult on the god of instruments from this insignificant freshman*
Just kidding!

Nessun Dorma is a very good piece of music, and Snow Caps is fun because Chris won't BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! and BLOW! *cackles evilly*. Charades was funny because Chris had to do a 10 word charade *chortle chortle*

Thursday

Time to go home, time to go home....isn't it wonderful? I love the last day of camp, its nice. We got up early, did our stuff and worked all morning long, then cleaned and packed, then had lunch and went home....but it doesn't end there. Then we had to go to the band hall, unpack, get ready for the next day and rehearse. It was kind of funny sitting there watching you all trying to concentrate with the prospect of sleeping at home loomed nearby just barely within your grasp. But band camp had not ended yet. We got a lot done that evening though. Nessun Dorma came close to giving me goosebumps. Not quite, but we were close (holds up index finger and thumb of right hand less that a millimeter apart and closes left eye to focus right eye on the tiny space in between) You get the general picture. I had fun you guys.

Home! I had forgotton what it was like! And FOOD! REAL FOOD! I could've eaten the whole cafeteria! Well, band camp was great (though it's not over yet). I had a great time. Being able to get away from the world and do what you love doing and thats all is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I've learned more this week than any four weeks in school. Something else I will remember will be the charades. Yes...the charades. I shall say no more.

FINALLY! REAL COOKED FOOD! I never thought it would feel so good to come home from band camp (yet it's not over). I also had a great time (especially watching Chris try and perform all the charades that he was put up to).

Friday

We performed, we kicked butt, oh yeah, we're good.......so we marched, we played, we went home for the weekend. It's kind of like, we came, we saw, we conquered, now let's go home. It was fun. I can't wait to see this show come together to make something really beautiful. Congratulations on a good start to what seems to be a great year. tam biet you guys.

Marching on a real field without potholes is certainly a different experience. Anyway, this was one of the best weeks of my life. We did march well today. I'm ready for Nessun now. Well, the week's over but life goes on and this is the year that will be remembered for the rest of my life. The year that three freshman learned how to blow air through their horns. The year that we kept our horns up longer than the baritones. Yes this is the year. I can feel it.
TDAH

I have got to say that we did really well on Gavorkna at the stadium even though it was hotter than the surface of the sun (or so it seemed). Well that's it. I'm done with Band Camp now. I will go home and shower and be done with that until next year (Band Camp that is).

He Posts!

HE POSTS!!! *think of Dr. Frankenstein saying he lives over his creation* Now if only the other one will post, we will have a complete blog. Good job Michael.
TDAH

Doctors are WIERD

Hi! I finally found some time to post. My schedule is very busy, between practicing instruments and memorizing drills with music, it is hard to find time to do anything. By the way, it turns out I didn't have a doctors appointment today. I misunderstood my mom when she said I MIGHT have a doctors appointment. Actually, I think my mom meant to confuse me because I got the impression that she was happy when she saw my face when she told me there wasn't a doctors appointment. Oh well, I don't like doctors very much anyways. I can't wait for the party this afternoon. Its going to be fun.

Two-a-days

You know, it wasn't as bad as I was told. Yea, you get up at five-thirty to go run but that's okay. We have cleaned Gavorkna really well, and I'm starting to feel good about it. I can't wait till the party tonight. See you all there!

By the way Tara, I read your post about twin souls and all I could think of was wow. How true it is. I wanted to post a comment but I figured you would be able to see this easier. Anyway, that was really good.

TDAH

Hi

You guys seriously need to post the rest of the band camp thing or you're going to forget. It was difficult for me to remember, and its only Tuesday. You won't regret it. Believe me, I wish I had done this for every year I had been in Band camp, by the way, this was my fifth band camp in total. I've had band camp for five years, playing two instruments, three if you count drum major, in two different locations. Man alive I feel old. But tis fine. So post. By the way, shame on all three of you. Get your horns up. Don't give those Euphoniums the satisfaction of switching horns with you. Shame shame shame. Give me two laps around your room right now........

.........done yet?..............

...........not yet? Okay, I'll hold on a little longer.........

.......alright, done now? Good, good. I know you guys are good guys and you try hard and you have a lot of pressure, just get your horns in the air and blow. Let at least those two things become instinctive. Alright? Okay, good. See you this afternoon, tam biet.