“Drum majors is your band ready?” The announcer questioned as we finally settled into our places. Our drum majors nodded, and gave each other their signal that they were ready. We got into our starting positions, and began our show. It went smoothly the whole time. I didn’t think any band members made any errors. All I could think about was how itchy my uniform was. We left the field to watch other bands perform their last shows. Alayna and I sat down next to Dreyton and patiently waited for all the bands. She tried to tell some band jokes, but messed up the punch line. After a few shows pass Alayna and Dreyton are already bantering like the siblings they are. “Stop being rude Alayna, be the bigger person.” I scold her. ‘I’m 5’3” I …show more content…
I heard someone clear their throat on stage. All eyes were glued on the man. “Good evening ladies and gentleman; I’m proud to announce that Santa Fe High, Gainesville High, Nease High, North Side Christian, and Newberry High are all going to State Finals!” The announcer exclaimed. I sit in shock as our band jumped to their feet screaming. I remembered how many times Mr. Reynolds told us we weren’t good enough. 132. I remembered stepping on the scale one morning, and noticing that I lost twenty pounds throughout the season. Going over the same show dozens, even hundreds of times. Me having to run a mile every day. The heat beating down my back. Raining in the middle of practice, but our director ignoring it. Sun blisters. Having to eat properly. My sister being drum major, and telling me I messed up and that I don’t deserve to wear the uniform. I remember telling myself I wanted to quit mid season. Yet, I also remembered how good it felt being able to run a mile. While the person I hated is barely breathing. Nailing my solo, or any part that is considered hard. I remembered how much I love my sock tan. How fun competitions were. This band; although they might be dysfunctional, is my family. I’m proud that I didn’t give
Looking around and seeing bright lights and feeling all eyes on you. Hearing both sides of the stadium cheer and shout for their teams and getting nervous during the last few seconds of the second quarter and at the same time being very proud of what the band has accomplished in the brief amount of time it took to learn the pretty intense and complex drill. Then suddenly you get the adrenaline rush that pushes you to perform. Many people would agree that being a drum major is one of the most eminent positions that is held by students who are Being the Drum Major of any band shows that you have the respect and trust of the members of the band and it’s directors. It also shows that you are passionate about what you do, responsible and that
It is about who I am off the podium. For the past five years (I marched up as an 8th grader), I have been proving something to these people, so that they trust me in this position. The character of drum major or leader is one I have been perfecting since I was a freshman. For a long time I was just an actor trying to be a character. Eventually, I had acted the part so much that I became it, and it was my role. I give respect to receive it. I build real relationships of with members to achieve trust, accountability, and effort. When people are torn up inside because of their home life, which is quite frequent in Lenoir City Tennessee, I am their shoulder to cry on, or a set of ears to vent to, or a buffer to dull their anger. When people are frustrated with me for some reason, I seek them out and learn what I can do different. When there are five flavors of gum stuck to the floor of the band room at 11:30 on a Friday night, I get on my knees with a plastic fork and start scraping. When the band director constantly yells at me for this that and the other, I take into account the criticisms and practice harder. The band and the director see this character I have transformed into, or maybe the one I have always been, and that is why I have the honor of standing on the podium and wearing the gloves. I have become the band’s teacher, nurse, cattle driver, answer dispenser, and friend. Somehow, those all add up to leader. I refuse to let them down, rather I lift them
In the year 2011, Rigby High School’s Concert Band was coming to the close of another great concert. They were getting to a very dramatic part of the song Ave Maria, and during a break in the melodies, a sharp baby cry was heard throughout the auditorium, followed by a loud yell from a parent. The rest of the concert was a disaster, with conversation and talking heard in the recording. In fact, Rigby has not once gotten a clean recording without conversation and noises in the concerts. People unfortunately do not understand how to behave during concerts of any type. With some concerts and performances, it is ok to vocalize, but concert band is not one of them. To help explain this, concert band will be compared to jazz band in its origins, type, and expectations to show why this type of behavior is unacceptable.
It was the 5th of May and it was a concert in honor of Mexico's independence. It was all free and sponsered by channel 23, montero beer, GM motors, and other big companies. It was a beautiful day to be outside, and the stage was huge. By 3 o clock when I arrived it was packed, and people kept coming in more and more every hour. I managed to get to the front, which wasnt an easy task when you have people pushing and shoving. When I arrived to the front I noticed all of the different musical instruments that where on the stage. It was such a weird variety of instruments ranging from the acordian, clarinets, drums, all types of guitars, trumpets, a tuba, a saxophone, and other instruments.
My older sister loved the marching band, so I always got dragged to their performances. I could not tell what was so appealing about it all; it consisted of walking on a field while playing instruments and flags being swung in the air. Participating in a marching band was never what I intended nor wanted to do. The idea bored me, but my mom insisted.
If someone had asked me back in sixth grade what my passion was, marching band would not have ever even crossed my mind. First of all because there is no marching band in sixth grade. Second, when I got into band in sixth grade, I was the worst French horn player in my section. I knew absolutely nothing reading music or playing and although I was still just learning, I always thought I had no chance to get better and that I would quit, but I didn’t. I stayed in the band and my opinions changed my freshman year of high school.
Being named the Lopez Marching Band Drum major would not be only an enormous accomplishment, but also an honor to be able to contribute to the legacy Lopez has. I may not be strongest player nor the best, but I have the heart and passion for band both in and out the field. Becoming drum major would allow me to repay the band for everything they have provided me with. For three years, the Lopez band has been a second home for me and has helped me grow in every aspect. In 2014, when I came in as a freshman, I was terrified of what lied in front of me; luckily, I was accepted to the Lopez family and they have been there for me through my ups and down. Being drum major would not only allow me to repay my debt, but also
Earlier on I had mentioned that I did not immediately consider myself for this position. One of the items that changed this is learning that the Drum Major is able to march with the band this coming year. I feel that by doing so, I would be viewed as a part of the band, and not just the kid on the podium. This is a very
A drummer’s main focus includes timing, rhythm, stick height, and tempo. When a band relies on you as a drummer to stay on time, these attributes become a must know. We walk in time, talk in time, breathe in time, and dream on time. Like other things in life, you don’t start off perfect. Drumming takes a lot of practice and time. So much that it can become hard to continue practicing, but like a language if you don’t use it, you will forget it. Percussion and drumming is amazing since it can fit into almost all genres. Also it is really up to the drummer how they want to build their set. We all have our style. Drums go way back to the earliest of mankind. Which makes sense
During my sophomore year, I decided to try out for drum major. I wanted to hear my
During the concert the pianist, drummer and saxophonist did a great job, making the rhythm unforgettable. One of the songs that was performed was "Wrapped around your fingers" it contained a romantic melody. While the piano and saxophone then alternated the rhythm, as the passion of the song was motivating everyone to fall into the rhythm of it. The melody which was steady seemed to get faster like a heartbeat by the climax of the song. The sounds were increasingly getting louder until all instruments met at the top with a ban...
I never really thought of actually doing a forgetting journal, but I knew it would be very interesting to do when I got in the class. Every day I find myself forgetting things. Often they are so simple that I pretty much go nuts because I can’t remember. On the first day, the first thing I forgot was the name of song. It wasn’t just any song; it was one of my favorite songs from the past. It was literally on the tip of my tongue and I couldn’t spit it out. So instead of just leaving it alone, I couldn’t just do anything else until I remember the song. I went as far as calling some of my friends to ask them do they remember me singing a particular song a lot. It was very n...
... to go to the upcoming competition, I decided that I would step in to be the voice of reason between the two groups. Although these two groups consisted of the majority of my friends and the conflict was about an issue that I obtained some knowledge about, I placed my friendships aside and refused to let my opinion sway me in the way that I felt would resolve the issue. I knew that letting this situation go on without turning it in would leave the band lacking, but I also knew that refusing to turn it in put me position in jeopardy. I made my decision based upon the band as a whole and that we would need our entire member to compete at the best of our abilities. My position as drum major did not really matter to me at the time of resolving the issue. It was then that I realized what my mother and father had been trying to instill in me for the last seventeen years.
When the final song was over and Jars of Clay was off the stage, the lights abruptly came on. Everyone started to leave the theatre. I still wanted to hear more of their music, but just as they had come out they then left in the same way. My adrenaline was still on a high point even as we got to our vehicles.
Then audience members who were perfect strangers who were screaming loudest would turn to each other with knowing glances and smile because they were sharing the same excitement and connecting with one another over their love of this man’s music. There was no pushing or shoving to get closer to the stage – it wasn’t that kind of crowd. Instead, there was mutual respect for one another’s space within the confines of the too-small venue. Nobody wanted to be the person who ruined it for someone else. It was this respect that made the audience members’ connections with one another that much stronger – we were all here to listen to this wonderful man’s music and see his performance – and, of course, we were here to enjoy it.