Happy Halloween everyone! Tonight is the Murray State Percussion Ensemble concert and we're celebrating it by having a night of "spooky" Halloween tunes and a costume contest. The percussion ensemble typically has two concerts a semester, the Mallet Music concert and the Percussion Ensemble concert...I normally don't care too much for the second because we usually play a lot of avante garde music, which is stated as, "pushing the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo...". I've never really been a big fan of avante garde music, but it's a good way of learning to appreciate music that is typically not heard.
I'm really looking forward to tonight's concert because we're playing numerous tunes that most people know; such as "Thriller", "Monster Mash", "Toccata and Fugue", and "Danse Macabe" to name a few. Our dress rehearsal was last night and it was so much fun! We're hoping that a lot of people show up, it's going to be a crowd pleaser.
These are just some snap shots of last night. We're working with some people who help with theatrics, and having fog spread throughout Lovett Auditorium.
Dr. Black will be hosting the entire event, keeping the crowd entertained before and during the performance. He will also be cracking some jokes and singing on one of the pieces.
This is the first time that the percussion ensemble has pulled off a Halloween concert, and hopefully it can become tradition.
This past February we held a Valentine's Mallet Music concert and it was a huge success. We collaborated with SAI, Sigma Alpha Iota (the woman's music sorority) in making it a dance as well. I wish I had taken some pictures of that event, it could probably be a post in itself. Anyway, tonight is going to be great! I love being a musician!
Here is to a night of good times and good memories! Good luck to everyone performing tonight, and Happy Halloween to everyone trick-or-treating.
This semester has been more than interesting, it's been chaotic and exciting! As stated in a previous post, the beginning of this semester started off rough. I've never had such a rough start to a semester as I did this August. Luckily, and with God's grace, I've made it over half way and can see the light! Every day of practicum encourages me to become a better teacher and person; I'm always trying to figure out how I can improve my leadership skills for the benefit of the students.
What's ironic is, I've always told myself that I didn't want to teach at the middle school level, that it was an awkward age group to work with. But as this semester progresses, my love for the middle school band/music program increases. After the first week of being in the school system I fell in love with middle school band. My dream job as of now is to teach beginning band, in order to instill a passion for the arts into the minds and hearts of the students that pass through my classroom. I understand that every child's life is different, and situations at home can vary. This is one of the main statements that has pushed and encouraged me to make my future classroom a safe haven of sorts; one that children can come to, knowing that they are genuinely cared for, and having a great outlet such as learning/playing quality music. I never envisioned myself teaching at the middle school level, but now I can't wait to get out into the field and start!
My academic to-do list is becoming shorter each and every day, which makes me ecstatic. For some reason I thought it would be a "great" idea to put every major project and assignment into this list right away, which it was to an extent. Doing this back in August only made the stress level rise, as I could see everything that was standing between then and Christmas break. As Christmas break nears, this list gradually shortens...woohoo! This semester has been so busy; with PASIC rehearsals late at night, a full course load, working with the Marching Mustangs, and balancing homework and practice time, my life has been consumed by "school". I feel as if I'm being torn in two directions, school one way and life the other.
(A typical week this semester; minus a few events)
Christmas break is right around the corner and will be a great boost in life...less then fifty days!!! Until then, I need to keep my head high and my hopes up, being thankful for everything God had done and will do in my life.
~This song has been laying on my heart, please enjoy~
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
It's been over four years since I went to Governor's School for the Arts, GSA for short. GSA is similar to Governor's Scholar Program here in Kentucky, except it is solely based on the arts. It is a three week program that occurs every summer that gives hundreds of students across the state an opportunity to explore their talents, hobbies, and possible future careers. I originally didn't want to audition for it,...I actually had no desire. My freshman year of high school I witnessed a few upperclassmen audition for it and get rejected, this put my mind at unease and burnt any desire to audition... What horrible thinking for such a young mind, right? Sophomore year rolled around and my band director had a talk with me, he recommended I apply and audition for it. This got me thinking again,...what if he honestly thought I could make it? Maybe? Shortly after that discussion, I applied for an audition, just days away from the cut off date.
I quickly began practicing some audition material in hope of doing well. The audition date arrived quick, and the unfortunate happened; a week prior to the audition date I fell ill with the flu, the worst kind of sick I've ever felt. Battling the end of that sickness, my mom and I traveled to Louisville for the stressful event. As a percussionist, I don't have the privilege of owning my own marimba, and not being able to go to school that week was awful because I wasn't able to practice. Going into the audition room, sniffles and all, I did the best I could for the judges. I left the room in tears thinking I had botched the entire performance, now all that was left was to wait.
The waiting process was almost as bad as the audition itself. The months leading up to the announcement of qualifying candidates was daunting. But that Spring I received an amazing letter in the mail; "You've been accepted into Governor's School for the Arts..." I remember jumping up and down with joy and running into the house to tell my parents I made it!
(All of the instrumentalist that year)
The next few months passed by quickly and GSA had arrived; it was one of the best musical experiences of my life. Over the course of three weeks my musicianship improved dramatically and I had made a lot of new friends, most of whom I'm still in contact with. Making it into GSA was one example of my prayers being answered. I know that without God, I would have never been able to push through and give it my best.
This is my second year as a percussion instructor, and it has been a great learning experience. A few years ago I was contacted by one of the local band directors and was asked if I would be able to work with the percussion section the following fall during marching band season. I had never done anything like he was asking, other then helping out with my alum high school's drum line the summer after graduation. I said I'd give it a try and eagerly began thinking of how I could lead a section, helping them improve their musicianship skills and character. It was the end of July before I knew it and band camp had arrived! There I was, standing in front of a new section, alongside another instructor that taught that year... New faces and names to learn, personalities to understand, and music to teach.
That was the first year of the McCracken County High School's Marching Mustang Band. McCracken county was in a new stage, building a new high school that would combine three of the local high schools into one united student body. The new high school was not quite finished, but the marching bands had decided to combine a year early, creating a family before the house was built. We all met at one of the schools on a consistent basis every week, practicing and preparing for football games, parades, and competitions. Even though the three schools were so-called "rival" schools, I was very surprised to see how well the students got along with each other. By November I couldn't even tell what schools the students were from, it was like they were already from McCracken County High School.
The new school building opened up this August and is now filled with students from across the county, united as one. The marching band is now in it's second year as the Marching Mustangs, and the musicianship continues to improve with every week that passes by. I'm very blessed to teach alongside some of the finest educators I know, and to lead a group of students who love what they do!
(Aspen and me at the first competition of the year)
(My attempt at a panoramic shot of the battery; there are 6 basses, 5 snares, and 2 tenors)
(The snare line)
This group has a lot of potential and I'm eager to see where their band director leads them; they're going to go far!
What a semester it has been! August and the beginning of September was by far the worse beginning to a semester I've ever had in college. I'm in my last two music courses for my undergrad degree, and have started the hefty education courses. Practicum (similar to student teaching) started off okay, got worse, and has finally started to look positive!
The practicum hours have increased dramatically, and the extra hours (tutoring hours, family interaction hours, PLC meeting hours) have also increased. Overall, I am required to get a total of around eighty-one field hours this semester alone. Those hours being split up between three different classes, that is. The increase of hours is what surprised me back in August, causing the semester to start off "on the wrong foot".
The semester is halfway finished and I'm almost done with the field hours, minus the normal Practicum hours that are fulfilled in the classroom. It has been a huge blessing to have most of these hours complete! In August I had absolutely no idea how I was going to complete everything, and it all fell into place thanks to the Lord! I'm looking forward to see what else I can accomplish this semester with Him leading me!
My practicum placement is in a local middle school, and I absolutely LOVE it! It's kind of ironic though... When I decided to become a teacher I had no intentions of teaching at the middle school level, the only thing that interested me was teaching elementary or high school music programs. My experience in the classroom this semester has changed my mind; I now want to become a middle school beginning band director!
I'm really enjoying college right now, but I'm looking forward to the day I can be a full time teacher, passing on a passion for music to students of all ages.
