Keyboard_Countessa

birthday

In my school, you can exempt a class if your average is 80 or higher and you have no more than 3 absences (3 tardies=1 absence). Freshmen get 1 exemption per semester, sophomores 2, juniors 3, and seniors can exempt 3 in fall and all of them in the spring. You can't exempt the same class twice unless you're a senior. This year I'm planning on exempting Economics, Psychology and Calculus. But for my Newspaper final I just have to write a feature story and if I turn it in early I don't have to come to class on our final day, which means I'll be able to sleep in all 3 days of finals. Go me.

Went to Region yesterday. Got there around 4 and didn't leave until after 10. Didn't make it. I'm not surprised since I've never made Region Band (and never really wanted to, to be honest), but since it was my senior year I was more disappointed than usual, especially since my BD seemed convinced that I would at least make it to phase 2. *shrugs* Oh well. Now comes my favorite part of Region Band tryouts: "retiring" the Region music... *gets out paper shredder and matches*

Psh. My perc. directors used to make the pit practice outside during class. Face it: if you're in marching band, you're gonna have to endure the heat and sweat. Even if you don't march.

The old percussion director marched Cavaliers (I think on tenors), but I don't know what year(s). My current percussion director marched with Blue Knights (not sure what instrument) in the early 90's. My old pit instructor/lessons teacher played in the Bluecoats' pit in 2001.

triangle parts

Ditto to that. I wanted to do it this year, but then I figured it'd be best to wait until I started college so I could get used to being on my own for long periods of time. And Skippy... GO FOR THE CAVIES!!!! YAY GREEN MACHINE!! (Can you tell that they're my favorite drum corps?)

I played marimba 1 also, but our pit instructor wrote the pit score. There's some pretty difficult stuff in there... during the drum break in the 2nd movement I had to play all these random 4-mallet chords really loud and hard, and one time while practicing it my fingers started bleeding! Yeah, kinda random but just though I'd share.

To put it simply, getting ready for region tryouts is freaking me out! It's been 2 weeks since I looked at the timpani, the snare is killing me, I can't play the 2-mallets up to tempo, and I haven't completely learned the 4-mallet piece. Region is next Friday, and before that I have to play the freshman cuts for the concert band audition, plus learn my holiday concert music by Tuesday. Yeah, it's gonna be a busy week for me.

To start off with, tomorrow I'm going to a playoff game (bleh). Then on Sunday I'm heading off to Austin so I can do a campus tour of UT on Monday, followed by a trip to Waco to visit Baylor on Tuesday. The rest of the time I'll be at home either practicing, doing homework or finding a way to procrastinate on both of the former.

The 2-mallet keyboard region music etude. Not all of it, though. Just the last 3 measures or so, right at the rallentando. BAH!

--When you're on an out-of-town trip and you buy souvenirs for your band directors... --And the souvenirs in question are musically themed

Anything goes, really. I've seen trombone/pit, drumline/sax, trumpet/oboe, tuba/trumpet, french horn/flute... We also have a *gasp* battery relationship. With 2 bass drummers, no less! But things seem to be going well... to be honest I'm not really an authority on this sort of thing, since I'm a bit "out of the loop" when it comes to band gossip.

Unbelievable. We won District. We won our first playoff game. Our next playoff game is in about 24 hours. And I have to go., Phooey. At least we're playing Katy, which has made it to playoffs, like, 10 years in a row, and won their first playoff game 48-0, so maybe I'll finally be able to put marching season behind me and move on to the next band adventure.

Having played Key Poulan shows my junior and senior year (see sig), I must admit that I noticed some thematic similarities in the music. It's just that his arrangement of Firebird Suite is the only one I know of for marching band. Plus Santa Clara Vanguard does a lot of Key Poulan stuff. (And since I SCV...)

To be honest, I haven't had that much exposure to military bands. I did see one this year at the Alief Invitational (I believe it was Willis... not completely sure). Their program included "Firebird Suite". 'Twas very... interesting.

I completely agree with you on concert season. Percussion usually gets stuck with really boring/easy parts or ends up running from one of the stage to other while switching between the dozen or so auxiliary instruments you have to play! And sadly, our school has no winter drumline, so after solo & ensemble I have to wait all the way till spring for our Percussion Production stuff.

I've seen several of those bands on other occasions, but I always enjoy hearing other people's opinions on their performances. I'm also glad to see that Clements won Outstanding Percussion, but that's mostly b/c my former pit instructor works there now, and I bet that made him happy. And plus I found out that another band is doing our show! (College Park--Chronometry)

A couple of years ago I got sick the day I was supposed to have a private lesson, which really upset me b/c I had just made Symphonic Band (our school's highest level concert band) and I wanted to be the one to tell my lessons teacher. Then at last year's drumline camp I threw up in front of the entire pit. Yeah, that was fun.

Just the regular school stuff. I might paint my nails all purply and glittery for holiday spirit, but that's probably the greatest extent of "dressing up" I'll do.

1. Langham Creek 2. Pearland 3. Cy-Fair 4. CY-CREEK 5. Clear Creek (I think...) Yeah, not only did we get 4th overall but we placed 5th in drums, 3rd in individual marching and 2nd in GE and ensemble. I'm very happy.

KEY POULAN'S ARRANGEMENT OF FIREBIRD SUITE!!! Ever since I played an excerpt from Firebird Suite in 8th grade Symphonic Orchestra, it's been one of my favorite pieces of classical music.

Cy-Creek is going, and since we pulled out of the Galena Park Invitational this will be our first and only contest before our UIL performance. I'm very excited, but also nervous. I really hope we have a good performance. I want to prove that Cy-Creek is a band that can get attention and deserve it. We had some setbacks last year, but now we're out to earn a reputation as a band worth recognizing. Also, good luck to all the other bands going!

MUFFINFILMS!!!! LONG LIVE THE MUFFIN TREE!! One day the girl asked, "Oh muffin tree, why do you only make blueberry muffins? Do make me another kind." The muffin tree said nothing, as it was a tree, and trees don't talk.

I should've taken notes... I remember which bands I liked but I don't remember why! Let's see... I enjoyed Columbus and Sealy. I haven't seen very many 3A bands before, but those 2 were very impressive. I know that Cy Falls has rather "interesting" shows, but that was nothing compared to Westfield! I'm a bit surprised they didn't place in first. Unfortunately I didn't pay much attention to Clements' show b/c I was too busy watching the pit (my old pit instructor works there now), but yay for them placing 2nd!