GenericWit

... plays an inferior instrument.

Underoath... A boy something something, I think. Best I can do w/o looking it up. My turn! And when you wake up... everythin' is gonna be fine. Guarantee that you'll wake in a better place... in a better time. So you're tired of livin, you feel like you might give in... well don't. *insert whistling* It's not your time. *hint: think ska*

1A: French 2A: PreAP Pre-Cal (shoot me) 3A: Wind Ensemble 4A: History 1B: English 2B: Teacher's Aide (for my band director lol) next semester it's AP psych 3B: Band again 4B: PreAP Physics

Thinking about area and the possibility of making state every second of every day. Why are freshmen cocky?

It's also in another thread. Area B 10 Bands go to Finals 4 qualify for State Frisco The Colony Stephenville Seguin Lake Dallas Carter-Riverside Aledo Little Elm Eastern Hills McKinney Boyd Brownwood Joshua Sherman McKinney North Birdville Western Hills Crowley Everman Centennial Arlington Hieghts

I hope you're right, Michael.

Depends... can you fit inside a hatbox? Haha... But yeah... we need lots of support. We all do. Everyone's gotta be on edge knowing we have about 6 really downright amazing bands including 3 state finalists in our region and only 4 spots to go to state. It's only Wednesday, and I'm nervous... Heck, I've been nervous since Saturday when we got our results. Haha.

I was looking at 4A state top ten from two years ago, and I think it's really impressive that three people from our area alone made finals. Birdville, Sherman, and Aledo... man... what good bands. Of course, we've also got the Colony to compete with too... I'd love to make state. I wish I could fast forward to see what's going to happen. I don't think we (Centennial) are out of the running just because we have so many amazing bands in our area. I think it just means we've really gotta push it this week. Then again, isn't that what most other bands are doing too? Either way, it'll be an exciting/nerve racking/frustrating/sad/superhappy! day at area (I hope ours is more happy than sad).

So when do we actually find out how many bands they're taking? I heard someone (maybe it was you, Wang) say that they took 1 band to state for every 5 or something like that...? With it being area week right now, the nerves are really starting to kill me. I think once we get the closer goin' at tempo, we'll be set to put up a fight for a state spot (timing out still really scares me though; wouldn't that be tragic?).

Academy has been my fav div 2 corp for a long time now and Cavvies were my favorite div 1 (since I have close friends that march for both, I was uber biased). So, when the Academy moved up, I had to decide who my ultimate favorite was. I knew the Academy would be successful. *points to signature* With or without me, I want to see them get top 7 next year and top three the year after.

I'm going to add in 2005 Phantom Regiment. Mmm... Rhapsody in Blue

I felt like I should've been looking away at times. To be frank, the show was hot. *fans self*

umm... Cavvies '00 and '02 and '06 (Niagara Falls, Frameworks, and Machine) Devils '97 (As time Goes by) Vanguard '89 (Phantom of the Opera) Coats '07 (Criminal)

When the book was released a few months ago, I kind of mourned the loss of the old book. I really liked it. Anyway, I decided to hitch a ride to penders and buy it. The guy told me the book was controversial cuz it was out of print. I was iffy about it then, and then I opened it up and looked into it, and I was even more iffy about it. I don't like the book still. I hate it, in fact. But, I don't mind the etudes. They just seem sort of generic and boring, but that's okay. I'll still practice my butt off on 'em. Any other opinions? Bam! Here's a quick link to the etudes.

I REALLY wouldn't recommend switching mouthpieces. My lesson teacher, Dr. H.D. Smith made me practice doing scales and the stuff from the first few pages out of the Arbans book just on the "ku" or "ga" (depending on what you play) syllable. If you can make the "ku" sound as good as the "tu" then combining it won't be much harder. I started really working on double tonguing second semester of my sophomore year, and I can do it pretty well now. I mean, I auditioned for bands with it, and I got my full points for doing articulation at 132. :-D Anyway, I recommend just doing a lot of easy scale/method things with your tonguing. Approach it like you would anything else (like vibrato and range).

Someone asked about girl euphs. Well, here I am! I'm the only girl in my section (tuba/euph combined), and yet I somehow am section leader. I guess I have the boys beat. Anyway, one of my best friends is the flute section leader, and he likes to say that holding my heavy instrument up is A LOT easier than holding his flute up. He even ARGUES it. What the HECK is that about? It's funny cuz I got a call from one of my euphonium freshmen yesterday, and he was crying. I took him weightlifting the other day, and he said he tried to hold the horn up at attention for like five minutes and couldn't do it. Poor lad. I remember how it was when I was a freshmen. I sympathized, but I was firm with him. I said "Evan, this year's a state year, and practices are two hours long. You've gotta be able to hold it up for the whole practice. It's gonna hurt like a mofo, but you've gotta do it. I mean, even halftime is 10 minutes long for us with the drill team music." I love freshmen. They're so helpless.

*ducks in and hides* So, I'm a section leader, but I wanna share how our process works since it's the same for section leaders and drum majors. At Centennial, everything is absolutely complicated. So, you have to go to this leadership meeting two weeks before try-out day. You get an application, a lecture, and some glares. You fill out the application writing two essays. I don't remember the topics. One was something along the lines of accomplishments. The other is why you want to be SL/DM or something like that. Mine ended up being more complex than my AP English papers. You turn those in that Friday, and the next Saturday is leadership interview/audition day. You sign up for a time slot between 7AM and 1PM. Each interview is supposed to be like ten minutes or so, but everyone's ran longer (except mine). Basically, you go in dressed up, and they grill you. First question they ask is why you're trying out. Then, then ask you questions based on your response. Then, they ask you if you think you're the best candidate for whatever you're trying out for (librarian, uniform staff, section leader, drum major; SL for me). You answer with a confident yes then explain why. After that, they point out every mistake you've ever made- every time your pencil broke and you had to borrow one during class, every time you moved at attention, every time you said "stupid freshmen." Then, you go get changed for the practical portion- the audition. You're in a group of 5 people and go into the band hall where each person will be forced to teach/correct the other people whatever move they're assigned. I had flank turns, for example, and I had to assume they knew everything up to flank turns but leave it there (they didn't know box drills). Then, you have a certain number of time to teach and perfect it. Of course, while the others in your group are teaching you, you have to try to look your best. The hardest part is FINDING mistakes when teaching because everyone is trying their best to impress. Then you wait for a few more hours. If you're trying out for drum major, you will have gotten a CD to conduct with as well as a score. You'll be conducting with a part of the show as well as be expected to be proficient in conducting in normal times like 4/4. All this will have to be memorized, obviously. It's tres stressful, but it's well worth it.

You know, I don't like vocalists in marching shows. I remember seeing someone at BOA (I don't remember who) that had a really kick butt show in my opinion, and then the singer came out and annoyed me to the point where I wanted to mute the tv. :/ And I didn't know a director could conduct you. That's sort of iffy.I don't think that should be legal in any circuits.

Is Wakeland a 3A? I thought they were 4A.

David? And I don't care how close it was. I think it's a huge honor to be in the top bands for honor band. Congrats to Poteet for beating us. I know you've gotta be one heck of a band to do that.

I like that too. It's really true. You can't just come in and ask which bands are good. A spitload of bands are good. You could at least have the decency to ask for 5As, 4As, or 3As that are good. Haha. And my band director's brother goes to Marcus. I loved their show last year. But anyway... I think CHS is personally one of the best.

I love Ticheli. I really do, but AE isn't one of my favorite pieces whereas I listen to October at least once a day. We even marched it last year (though I didn't like that version... lacked a euphonium solo though I did have another one in the closer...)! So... October. Definitely.

Michael likes to talk a lot of smack so excuse him. We are very humble and excited to be placed in the same category as some of the great bands that we are placed with. Now, I've got be a little cocky too. I think that the only thing that has kept us from state was our small numbers. However, we are growing, and we have put so much time and effort already into this show that I think we will make state. Centennial has worked hard to make a name for itself, and I'm proud to call myself a member. Now, I've got to agree that our show this year is pretty difficult. We have lots of fast marching and mixed meter. It's going to be insane, and I'm excited. Who else is excited for 4A state year? Woot woot!