Heeeeeeellllllllllllllloooooooooo, everyone! Did you miss me? I am sure you all had fantastic summers. I sure did. But, I was definitely ready to get back to school and back to work!
This year, as you may recall, I decided to do some work with the Temple University Diamond Marching Band. You know, these guys:
This year, as you may recall, I decided to do some work with the Temple University Diamond Marching Band. You know, these guys:
Well, working with a college marching band again means only one thing the week before classes start: Band Camp. Having just finished camp, I cannot remember being so tired in my whole life. To quote Michaelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
"My legs hurt. My arms hurt. My spots hurt. Even my bandana hurts." That being said, being out in the heat, bells glinting in the sun, horns blaring, battery bouncing off the buildings, it finally felt like college!
There were some things that I experienced during band camp that were different from my marching band experience (all those years ago) that are worth mentioning.
1) The TUDMB (Temple University Diamond Marching Band) stops on their toes instead of on their heels. Their penultimate step is on the toes and the final step lands on the toes before both heels hit the ground. The effect is that on a halt, the band changes height all together as their heels hit the ground. Neat!
2) After being given a marching command, the band shouts it back. This is a great way to make sure the band heard and remembers the command, as well as giving a good indication of whether they will properly execute the move or if commands need to be repeated.
3) The TUDMB parade block is set up in two halves with the tubas and drumline in the middle. Instead of having the back half of the band set in the same order as the front half (example: trombones, trumpets, clarinets, drumline/ tubas, trombones, trumpets, clarinets), they set the back half of the band in reverse order (example: trombones, trumpets, clarinets, drumline/ tubas, clarinets, trumpets, trombones). This allows the band to turn around, march back the way it just came, without changing sound quality.
There were some amusing moments from band camp.
1) We ate our meals in the dining hall for the week. Near the end of band camp, the general population of students started moving in, so we ended up eating at the same time as them. One day, at lunch, we happened to see what could only be a freshman eating a piece of pizza wrapped around a very large bundle of French fries. You know, that didn't quite do it justice. Let me try again. This student had taken a slice of pizza... check that... two slices of pizza, put a large handful of fries on top of each of them, folded each slice around the fries, tried to stuff the whole thing in his mouth, failed, tried again, failed again, used both hands, and succeeded.
2) One day, the band was out on the field learning drill. The field we use is circled by a track. While we were out there, the dance team came out to run laps around the track. The band suffered from a noticeable lack of focus each time the dance team ran in front of them.
3) Friday was a particularly hot day. And we were outside for the bulk of the day. In the early afternoon, when there were no shadows to be found anywhere, the other TAs and I were wandering around, trying to find some way to cool down. Cory (one of the other TAs) came to the soul-crushing realization that "it's hot everywhere."
There was one incident at band camp that really made me think about how I would handle it if I were to end up the director of a college band. The night before the last day of camp, there was rumor of a party. So, the morning after was a pretty rough rehearsal. There were a number of band members who were faking their way through the playing and marching, and some who looked like they were going to fall out. I am not sure how I would handle that. Many of the band members are of the legal age to drink. How can does a band director teach the balance between having fun and not letting it affect your responsibilities, while not coming across as condoning partying? I am not sure there is a good answer to that question, but it is one I may have to wrestle with sometime in my future.
Dr. B. did have a great quote one day during band camp. He remarked that the band obviously enjoyed performing together, but that they needed to start enjoying performing for other people. What a keen insight!
On a personal note, I started gardening this summer. I planted tomatoes, purple bell peppers, serrano chili peppers, kirby cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, and an assortment of herbs. One day, I was watering my garden and something seemed a little off. I couldn't put my finger on it until I realized that someone stole my bell pepper plant. Yes, you read that right. They STOLE MY BELL PEPPER PLANT. Seriously, who steals a plant? They picked it up, pot and all, and walked away with it. The only trace of it was one solitary pepper lying in the middle of the sidewalk. That's it; stop the world, I want to get off.
Also, this happened:
Dammit.
It has been brought to my attention that some of you do not get the reference in my weekly sign off. At the end of all his transmissions, Captain Kirk would say, "Kirk, out."
So, as this is the end of my transmission for the week,
Future Dr. Mitch, out!
