Hello! It's been a long time since I've posted anything on this site, and looking back now...wow. I've definitely grown.
I was unable to be the drum major this past summer/fall due to unseen circumstances, but that didn't stop me from helping the band out! I played cymbals during the parade season, and I helped out everywhere I could during the fall. I hope that my being around wasn't too distracting (because I know that it was at times!), and I'm glad that Ms. E (who is now married!!) let me stick around!
Pictures from band tour are up! I was allowed to tag along on the band's tour as their equipment manager. I had so much fun! It was a whole new world, being on the staff side of the trip. I helped make and serve food, watch the band members, take a TON of pics and videos, and a lot of other things that I never really had the chance to do when I was in high school.
The group this year was inspiring and so much fun to be around. I love each of them so much! I think that I did a better job of being a drum major this year, even though I never even held a mace or waved my arms.
I want to thank the Red Devil marching band of 2012 for making such an impact on my life. You each gave me so much joy, and I was so blessed to be a part of your season.
Because I am now graduated, I no longer have the opportunity to be a Teenage Drum Major. I will be creating a new blog that will follow my new adventures as a BAND TEACHER and a member of SoCo Percussion. A link will be posted in the near future.
Thank you so much for bearing with me and listening to the rantings (however few) from the Life of a Teenage Drum Major.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thursday, July 21, 2011
A Bipolar Rehearsal
I can't decide if I liked rehearsal today or not.
Our instructor (let's call her Ms. E) split up the drumline and the band, then had Allen be in charge of the band and the woodwind section leader in charge of the drumline. It was a good idea, but Ms. E had me go with Allen and the band, and let me tell you something. Allen knows nothing about sliding. At all. Oh, and he doesn't even know everyone's names. We were told specifically to get to know everyone by name.
I guess you're too good for that, Allen.
But...I did march for the first time with my baritone, which is what I'll be playing this fall season. That was pretty cool...and hard. I definitely have a greater respect for marching brass now!
Our instructor (let's call her Ms. E) split up the drumline and the band, then had Allen be in charge of the band and the woodwind section leader in charge of the drumline. It was a good idea, but Ms. E had me go with Allen and the band, and let me tell you something. Allen knows nothing about sliding. At all. Oh, and he doesn't even know everyone's names. We were told specifically to get to know everyone by name.
I guess you're too good for that, Allen.
But...I did march for the first time with my baritone, which is what I'll be playing this fall season. That was pretty cool...and hard. I definitely have a greater respect for marching brass now!
We also got FALL MUSIC today!!! I'm so freaking EXCITED!!! My part isn't too difficult, but it definitely is challenging. It helps that I have a brother who is part of the trumpet section. Hopefully, he'll find it in his heart to practice at home with me.
All in all, I can't wait for band camp :)
All in all, I can't wait for band camp :)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Drumline
The drumline has always had an attitude problem. Even when I was part of it, we were known to be...well...jerks, but we were extremely loyal to each other. The line is pretty much a family. You stay with the family...or you get disowned.
That's what happened to me and another girl, who we will call Angela. We decided that we wanted to do winterguard (guards competing during winter season), which is a HUGE no-no for the drumline, but we still did it. A lot of the people didn't care we were part of the guard. The girls on the line, of course, didn't mind one bit. A lot of my friends didn't care, either. They were happy that I was happy. But Allen...he is very persuasive, and he got to the rest of them before they had a chance.
Which I personally don't understand. At the start of winter season last year, the guard taught him how to do a butterfly, and he enjoyed it! Why so bipolar, Allen? Grr...
Anyways, my close friends didn't care that I joined guard. One of them, who, up until recently, was one of my very very close friends, was proud of the fact that I joined without caring what the line thought. Let's call him Zach. Zach and I were very good friends. I told him everything...I even loved him for the longest time...but, in the end, Allen got to him. Allen got to everyone.
I was officially disowned July 4th. The day no one, including Zach, came to my rescue when Allen ridiculed me worst than he ever had before.
I haven't spoken to any of them since...and it's hard, you know? The family I had for 3 years, gone. Within 10 seconds, they left. Left me for dead.
It's because of them I can't sleep tonight. Because of them, I feel lost at rehearsals.
It's because of you, Allen, that I dread even going to rehearsals.
I'm tired of getting hurt.
That's what happened to me and another girl, who we will call Angela. We decided that we wanted to do winterguard (guards competing during winter season), which is a HUGE no-no for the drumline, but we still did it. A lot of the people didn't care we were part of the guard. The girls on the line, of course, didn't mind one bit. A lot of my friends didn't care, either. They were happy that I was happy. But Allen...he is very persuasive, and he got to the rest of them before they had a chance.
Which I personally don't understand. At the start of winter season last year, the guard taught him how to do a butterfly, and he enjoyed it! Why so bipolar, Allen? Grr...
Anyways, my close friends didn't care that I joined guard. One of them, who, up until recently, was one of my very very close friends, was proud of the fact that I joined without caring what the line thought. Let's call him Zach. Zach and I were very good friends. I told him everything...I even loved him for the longest time...but, in the end, Allen got to him. Allen got to everyone.
I was officially disowned July 4th. The day no one, including Zach, came to my rescue when Allen ridiculed me worst than he ever had before.
I haven't spoken to any of them since...and it's hard, you know? The family I had for 3 years, gone. Within 10 seconds, they left. Left me for dead.
It's because of them I can't sleep tonight. Because of them, I feel lost at rehearsals.
It's because of you, Allen, that I dread even going to rehearsals.
I'm tired of getting hurt.
Allen, Drum Captain
Let me tell you about our drum captain, who we will call Allen.
Allen is a senior, like me, and joined drumline his freshman year as well. That year, no one on the drumline had ever played the instrument they were on. When he auditioned, he made tenors. Good for you, Allen. I joined maybe 2 weeks later, and was put on 5th bass because I was strong enough to carry it. As a freshman, you don't usually have attitude problems. You don't know how things work quite yet, so you stay more in the shadows than anyone else. By the end of the year, we were just like anyone else in the band.
That winter, he was the snare section leader. The other two guys on snare had been on the line before, but they weren't chosen as section leader because our instructor wanted younger kids to get used to being in charge. You weren't skilled then, Allen. It was just your lucky day.
But you are skilled now. You went to a better marching band for a few months, came back, and became drum captain. I respected you every step of the way.
Last year, I was close friends with 12 of the 14 drummers. The 2 drummers left were me, and you.
This year, I'm lucky to have any of them say a word to me.
Because of you.
Allen disrespects me constantly. He openly hates me, makes fun of me, and rebels against whatever I say (even when the instructor tells me to say it). All of this...in front of the whole band.
If I were still friends with the line, I could deal with him. But every time he pokes fun at me, every time he hurts me...they either join in or sit back and watch.
It hurts a little, you know.
But...our graduated drum major told me that people would give me a hard time. Told me that people would hate me.
I just thought that I'd have my close friends to help me through it.
Thanks for destroying that comfort, Allen.
Allen is a senior, like me, and joined drumline his freshman year as well. That year, no one on the drumline had ever played the instrument they were on. When he auditioned, he made tenors. Good for you, Allen. I joined maybe 2 weeks later, and was put on 5th bass because I was strong enough to carry it. As a freshman, you don't usually have attitude problems. You don't know how things work quite yet, so you stay more in the shadows than anyone else. By the end of the year, we were just like anyone else in the band.
That winter, he was the snare section leader. The other two guys on snare had been on the line before, but they weren't chosen as section leader because our instructor wanted younger kids to get used to being in charge. You weren't skilled then, Allen. It was just your lucky day.
But you are skilled now. You went to a better marching band for a few months, came back, and became drum captain. I respected you every step of the way.
Last year, I was close friends with 12 of the 14 drummers. The 2 drummers left were me, and you.
This year, I'm lucky to have any of them say a word to me.
Because of you.
Allen disrespects me constantly. He openly hates me, makes fun of me, and rebels against whatever I say (even when the instructor tells me to say it). All of this...in front of the whole band.
If I were still friends with the line, I could deal with him. But every time he pokes fun at me, every time he hurts me...they either join in or sit back and watch.
It hurts a little, you know.
But...our graduated drum major told me that people would give me a hard time. Told me that people would hate me.
I just thought that I'd have my close friends to help me through it.
Thanks for destroying that comfort, Allen.
Being a Drum Major
Being a drum major...isn't what I thought it'd be like, to be honest. I thought, with my rep and my history with the band, I wouldn't have any problems socially. The only issue would be to teach how to march (which I'm actually getting pretty good at!)
Was I wrong.
Before I go on, let me give you my marching history and experience:
Was I wrong.
Before I go on, let me give you my marching history and experience:
HISTORY
Freshman Summer/Fall Season - 5th Bass
Freshman Winter Season - Bassline Section Leader, 5th Bass
Sophomore Summer Season - Bassline Section Leader, 2nd Bass
Sophomore Fall Season - Bassline Section Leader, 3rd Bass
Junior Summer Season - Cymbal Section Leader, 3rd Cymbal
Junior Fall Season - Front Ensemble Section Leader, Mallets
Senior Summer Season (current) - Drum Major, Baritone
EXPERIENCE
Freshman Winter Season - Bassline Section Leader, 5th Bass
Sophomore Summer Season - Bassline Section Leader, 2nd Bass
Sophomore Fall Season - Bassline Section Leader, 3rd Bass
Junior Summer Season - Cymbal Section Leader, 3rd Cymbal
Junior Fall Season - Front Ensemble Section Leader, Mallets
Senior Summer Season (current) - Drum Major, Baritone
EXPERIENCE
3 months in Guard
Intermediate Clarinet
Beginning Trumpet
Beginning Saxophone
Beginning Baritone (this coming fall)
Beginning Flute
Advanced Concert Percussion
Intermediate Clarinet
Beginning Trumpet
Beginning Saxophone
Beginning Baritone (this coming fall)
Beginning Flute
Advanced Concert Percussion
You'd think, with my credentials, people would listen to me. You'd think, after being in the drumline for 3 years, the line would respect me and be proud of my current position.
That's what I thought, too. You see, the band doesn't give me many problems. They listen, they learn. There are a few attitude issues, but they're very small. I love working with them, but the drumline...that's a whole different story...
That's what I thought, too. You see, the band doesn't give me many problems. They listen, they learn. There are a few attitude issues, but they're very small. I love working with them, but the drumline...that's a whole different story...
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