Every year in March, the Ohio Music Education Association hosts the Large Group Adjudicated Event for high school bands and every year for the past twenty-five years I have taken one or more groups to perform. It is a huge undertaking to prepare bands for an event like this (therefore the associated high levels of band director stress and anxiety) and then the overwhelming sense of accomplishment when it is done.
Something I love about teaching and directing ensembles is the opportunity to place quality music in front of students and let them study, practice, and grow from the challenges and the joy the music provides. When students take a printed page of music and turn it into a work of art, there is something transformational happening on multitudes of levels. It reaches deeply into our hearts and minds. And every so often comes that magical moment when all of us who were on the stage and in that moment, know we will never forget. That is the power of music. But really, why go through the work, stress, and anxiety of preparing for a judged event? In part, it engages students in an extended period of preparation time that requires excellence in what they do. Applying these lessons to other things, they can begin to see excellence not as singular acts, but as a lifestyle. The concert season is the rock upon which a quality high school band program is built. Beyond all else, take a look at the expressions on the faces of those seniors in the picture. And on the faces of many other students when their accomplishments are affirmed by others as something great, and special, and inspiring. I love our time together sharing the challenges that a quality piece of music brings. And I hope that they love it too. Memories of those magical moments with their band family will last a lifetime. Yes, it has been a while since I have posted to this page, but I have been a bit busy. And so have 132 really amazing high school and 8th grade students. These students are all members or helpers for the Avon Lake Marching Shoremen who can call themselves state finalists as of October 18th. That was the day they performed at a contest at the University of Akron and brought home a superior rating.
What does this mean? It means they had to work very hard, as a team, everyone important and integral to the performance, then with focused determination, a lot of heart, and one amazing performance, they did what some would think is impossible. Over one hundred teenagers all pulling together in the same direction believing that they could accomplish a superior performance. And they did! I couldn't be prouder of our seniors, leaders, veteran members, freshmen, and 8th grade helpers. They are an extraordinary group of students who see challenges as little bumps in their road to success. Their positive attitudes and faith in themselves is inspiring. They worked hard, and hopefully, learned many life lessons along the way. While I stood near the band in Akron waiting for the results of the contest, I hoped that our band members would be rewarded for the days spent in the sun, rain, at games, shows, and rehearsals, and in the band room and practice rooms. When the announcer said that Avon Lake had qualified for state finals, I was bursting with pride and joy for this deserving group of students. They earned their moment of glory. Band programs like ours contain many unsung heroes. The older and wiser students who lead by example and show the way; talented and dedicated teachers and instructors; moms and dads who freely give of their time and effort to help their kids achieve their goals; and all of the others, past and present, who are a part of this great band program, who we honor by continuing to be the best we can be. As I begin my tenth year at Avon Lake High School, it is hard to believe that so many years have passed. It seems like only a year or two ago when I first arrived. But as each year comes and goes, I am energized by my students. Their enthusiasm and desire to learn and grow inspires me to be a better teacher, and honestly, to be a better person. All these years later, I am still learning, and still striving to be the best teacher I can be. This I owe to my students. Recently all of the veteran members of the band and I had a team meeting. The theme of the meeting was "If I can _____, then I must ____". The phrase was used most famously by President Abraham Lincoln as he dealt with a nation being torn apart by civil war. I asked students to write down as many responses as they could to this prompt. Teachers and students shared some of their responses. It was honest. It helped some of us to better understand others. It was thought-provoking to know that some people can't do and can't enjoy many things that many others of us take for granted. It inspired us all to be better not only at marching and playing, but to be better human beings. My students keep me forever young at heart and they demand that I be the best I can be. If I can teach THEM and inspire THEM, then I must! As my ninth year at Avon Lake High School comes to a close, I never cease to be amazed by the students. At the recent Memorial Day Parade, during a three day weekend, with beautiful weather, all but three of the band members were present for the parade and the ceremony. This is simply amazing. Avon Lake students are special. They recognize the significance of a holiday such as Memorial Day and they choose to be a part of the events that help us remember and understand why people have fought and died for liberty and freedom. Our students are thoughtful and compassionate. They often see the "big picture" better than some adults I know. Congratulations to the Class of 2014, and thank you for all that you have given to our band program. You will not be forgotten. We will learn from what you have taught us through your determination and leadership, and we will make you proud alums! Springtime at the high school is bittersweet. The students are reaching their peaks as performers while the seniors are on a fast sprint towards graduation. The spring offers the seniors another chance to recognize and show their appreciation and love for their parents who support them through thick and thin. The rose ceremony at the last concert is always a special event as our seniors walk out into the audience to find their Moms and Dads. Examples of students reaching their best levels of playing are abundant at this time of year. The undergraduates are thinking already about next year and many of them are planning enriching musical activities for their summer vacations. It is tryout season for next year's drum majors, field commanders, guard, majorettes, and drum line members. The fall show has been selected and now we anticipate the challenges of putting the show on the field and the joy it will provide us and our audiences. As 2013-2014 winds down, I think of all people, young and old, who are a part of my daily life with the band. As my family and friends know, I do not call what I do each day "work". For me, I am going to school. To teach. To learn. All through the feelings and the power of music. I am always awed by the growth that occurs for the students who volunteer to play in the pit orchestra for the annual musicals. The rehearsals start out really rough as we plow our way through the music, sight-reading in four sharps, cut-time, and all the rest. But each week it gets a bit better, students sight-reading large volumes of music, and by show week things begin to fall together. The sitzprobe is always a big revelation, when the pit orchestra has those "Ah-Ha" moments hearing the vocals for the first time. The orchestra this year was comprised of twenty-five of our band and orchestra students and one Oberlin College trumpet ringer, Ethan Updike. "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is a tough book to play. I am proud of how our students were able to pull it together and play so well for the four shows. I am also proud of the many band students who not only played in the pit, but were in the cast, the stage crew, and the tech crew. Our Avon Lake students never cease to amaze me by their creativity, talent, and energy. I met Col. Arnald Gabriel in December, 2012, just a few months prior to our trip to Chicago to perform at the 4th Annual Percy Grainger Festival. I have seen him before, and I have heard recordings when he conducted the US Air Force Band, but meeting him was special. This picture was taken just after he guest conducted the Air Force Band (he is retired now) at The Midwest Clinic in 2012. He led them through a powerful performance of Verdi's "La Forza del Destino". We talked about the upcoming Grainger festival and he said he was looking forward to working with my students. It was a thrilling moment for me to hand over my students to Col. Gabriel in Chicago. We had prepared "Children's March" and I thought we had prepared thoroughly. Well...maybe we did, but the Colonel still had a few things to say! It was an incredible hour or so that he spent with my students. He took them through a phrase, talked about the phrase, defined an accent, asked questions about accents, and then played accents. Always beginning with a verbal "1,2" to start them on their way. Each time he stopped them and worked a section, they played it better. I still am not sure which I remember more fondly, our time with Col. Gabriel or our amazing performance in Orchestra Hall the following day. Many of the students who went on the trip said it was the best school trip ever. For me, all of it is a cherished memory that I will never forget. |
AuthorAvon Lake Band Director Archives
March 2019
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