Intensity

Wednesday: The All County Exhibition.
Thursday: The Rained Out TOB
Friday: Homecoming and 8th Grade Invitational
Saturday: TOB Chapt ... oh, wait ... rain out
Sunday: TOB Chapters take 2!

Four shows. Five days. ("What is this, a drum corps?!")

It is an intense week for the kids in the band. Some had tests and had to study on the trip to and from the contest Thursday. Parents had to find ways out of work for chaperoning. And all of this is happening at the end of the season.

What came to mind this week is that this is where training starts back in August (or sooner). Not just musical, but training for the various physical, mental, emotional, and even nutrition and health (as it is, after all, cold and flu season) demands of this point in the season.

Training requires not just ongoing reinforcement, but a planned curriculum of what you will be training for. It requires coordination with the boosters. it requires flexibility by the parents and the students. But all of this has to be planned for in advance ... and communicated repeatedly.

I recent got my hand on a book by Wayne Markworth titled The Dynamic Band. (You can get it too at the book website or as part of the academic package of "From the 50 Yard Line".) Markworth was the long time band director at Centerville OH High School, leading the program for 35 years but never getting out of step with what it takes to maintain a contemporary marching band program. (While geared toward current and future band directors, band boosters should consider getting a copy as well, especially to review his chapter on booster-director relationships.)

Marching band is hard work. It requires intensity. Wayne Markworth has provided some salient guidance on how to get there. After all, if marching band were easy, it would be called ...

||: Dr. Tim :||

Band geeks instantly know the name.

Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser has long done student leadership development programs targeting music students.

I've heard of him for years, but a few weeks ago I got to watch him in action. Whew! He was three hours of nonstop energy mixed with honesty about band student leadership. "Truth or sugar?", he asked the 100 or so kids, who shouted back, "Truth!" We parents (and teachers) should remember that!

I took three pages of notes, some near illegible because of the rapid fire presentation. (No breaks, by the way.)

Professionally I have the opportunity to work with some very smart people who literally hold the lives of others in their hands on a daily basis (and they get at least 12 years of post-high school education needed before their career begins!). But probably the most substantial reason I end up involved with their practice is the (lack of) leadership in the group. The specialty requires tact and teamwork, yet the 12 years of training covers none of that. It's like expecting your first chair talent to be the one to take up the baton, when all they know is their own horn and music!

When I was growing up I got to personally know a few "Dr. Tim" types through my involvement in the Kiwanis International sponsored youth programs, Key Club and Circle K (though which I met my wife!) For about 7 years I heard many of the same messages.

However, leadership takes practice, and repeated messages. That was my takeaway from listening to Dr. Tim. (I try to have at least one takeaway from every seminar or conference!) It is now why more than ever I think the Tarpon Springs HS Band & Orchestra programs may be on to something in their approach.

It has to start early (the first band camp!) and be repeated often. Basics are boring, I am told, but are the foundation of future success.

Repetition in messages. Repetition in practice. (It's call "reps" for a reason, from band to football!). Remember the 10,000 hours message?

I don't know how often they go back to their notes and notebooks, but I hope the students (including my own!) will refer to their workbook often.

Reps.

Who'll Stop the Rain?

Heard the singers playin', how we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together, tryin' to keep warm.
Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears.
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival

And so it rained. On Friday. On Saturday. Now (but less so).

All across the region, band shows were canceled, postponed, or moved indoors. Our band had it postponed, but whether we go or not is (forgive the expression) up in the air. They have performances on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday already.

However, last night we hosted a double feature of two movies reviewed here previously, "From the 50 Yard Line" and "August Rush." We couldn't host everyone, but those who came had fun! So it wasn't a complete washout.

However, two memories came to mind - the 1993 DCI World Championships performance of the Madison Scouts, and the 2008 USSBA National Championships performance of George Walton Academy. I remember that simply these two groups came on to the field in a sprinkle and ended up performing in a downpour. But somehow it just got those kids fired up, and they really took the performance up a notch and connected with their audiences.

Who'll stop the rain? For those two groups, the answer was - Who cares?!

Okay, once again, from the top ...

The blog went dark ... but not for lack of desire. Maybe just lack of time.

The spring had a DCI cinema event and a 20th anniversary. Read the April post (admittedly just put up) that should have been made on that day.

This summer started with an election to lead the middle school band boosters (uh oh). It was, however, tremendously full of DCI shows - Chambersburg (where I had the wonderful opportunity of announcing the first DCI show of the season), Annapolis, Dallas (x2!), Atlanta, Rock Hill, West Chester, and the Semi-Finals webcast.

Dallas - wow - what a change in venue since I first went there in 1982 and got bit by the bug. Atlanta - a cool venue (in all meanings of the word)! Rock Hill - a new home for an old show that was fabulous, and a reunion of what we ended up calling "The Dead Presidents".

What can be said about Carolina Crown that hasn't been said? I was confused at the start of the season (when my announcing stepped all over the green grass) but awed by the end, where I came within a few hours of flying to Indianapolis.

The summer also included visit to colleges, including one where we had a chance interaction with a Carolina Crown alumnae. It had a band camp, with two students in it (MP, now a senior and TP, a freshman). It has a great chance to talk to a former neighbor who spent the summer in the Bluecoats.

Fall begin with any web-time dedicated to the middle school website design. I got to spend 3 hours as a fly on the wall with Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser. And now it's halfway through October and marching band season.

The band has a great show potential, the best potential ever. They have had drum corps quality guidance for the first time I can remember. And yet ... and yet ... there is just so much more to talk about on that end.

And did anyone see the CD cover shot of the DCI winner Blue Devils? Okay, they were good, but nothing says Marching Music's Major League (R) like your world champion sitting ... strike that ... slouching ... in a chair that would get most students tossed from band class, no matter how good they are.

Leaving the fall and going into the winter may see may also see auditions ... and the spring may bring us back to where we stopped as we march on toward a dream in this community.

So, once again, "On the Field" ... from the top ... 5, 6, 7, 8 ....