The American Fork Junior High has a lot of bands. The whole band program starts in 5th grade. There are so many bands, that the current director has decided to split up the bands into two different concert nights; the younger bands played on a Tuesday night, and the older bands played on a Thursday night.
Will is in the Symphonic Band, one of the older bands. They played 3 pieces, but I realized as soon as I started to record the first piece that my battery was nearly dead. Drat!
So I stopped recording mid-song in order to save what remained of the battery to try to record the last piece in its entirety, since it was Will's favorite of the songs they played that night.
Here is the clip of the first song, entitled Jubilations.
And here is the entire last piece his band played, The Polar Express!
This is Will's last Christmas concert, since he does not intend to continue with musical studies next year at the high school.
Showing posts with label band. Show all posts
Showing posts with label band. Show all posts
Is it Ever Too Early to Live With Regret?
Last night, Will had a holiday band concert. Helena couldn't make it because she had a Latin club activity, and Bill couldn't get off work in time to make it, either. So I went by myself. His band played very well, then he and I ducked out early so he could go home and catch up on homework.
While at the concert, I sat next to another former 'ballet mom'. Her daughter was in Helena's ballet class years and years ago, but quit before the training got very intense. I don't think her daughter ever managed to earn her pointe shoes. The other mom had a son the same age as mine who was also in the band program. Of course, everyone around here has someone in the band program!
We got to talking and she asked me if Helena was still dancing. After telling her about Helena's decision to quit when the pressure got to be too much, she reminisced about an older dancer she remembered who had a private tutor to get her through her high school classes in order to free up more time for ballet.
That dancer is actually currently the principal dancer for Utah Regional Ballet, Rachelle Jardine. One of the sweetest girls I have ever met.
Well, anyways, although Will didn't mind the others missing his concert (since he is only playing an instrument under duress and his heart is not in it), they both felt bad for missing it. So, once everyone was back home, we went out to eat to 'celebrate' Will's concert.
While eating dinner, I mentioned what this other 'ballet mom' had said. It is no secret that the most serious dancers push all else aside in order to focus fully on dance. Helena commented that she wished she could have done that, too, but knew we would never have allowed her to.
And here is where we play "what if?" Would I have bent over backward to rearrange her life, lighten her school load, so she could have stayed in dance? The truth is, it would have been nearly impossible when she was 15 (the age she was when she quit), because I couldn't drive her around during the day.
However, if she had stuck it out for one more agonizing year, I probably would have helped her lighten her load somehow once she was 16 and driving herself.
And here is where regret comes in.
Do I regret letting her quit?
Absolutely not! Our relationship has improved drastically since she quit ballet. I have gotten to spend lots more time with her over the past two years that has been very precious to me. I am less stressed about the constant strain on our family finances. And, truthfully, with the politics and money involved, the studio and company had already chosen their 'darlings', and Helena wasn't one of them. Bottom line, I got my daughter back.
Does she regret quitting?
I think so.
I am sorry for that. I don't want her to live with regrets so soon in life. I hope she realizes that URB is not the only dance company or opportunity on the planet, and that she doesn't have to go crazy all out in dance in order to enjoy it. I am hoping that when she registers for college, she can sign up for some dance classes there, and maybe get a minor in dance, just for the fun of it!
In the meantime, stay tuned for a post with the video of Will's band playing "The Polar Express"!
While at the concert, I sat next to another former 'ballet mom'. Her daughter was in Helena's ballet class years and years ago, but quit before the training got very intense. I don't think her daughter ever managed to earn her pointe shoes. The other mom had a son the same age as mine who was also in the band program. Of course, everyone around here has someone in the band program!
We got to talking and she asked me if Helena was still dancing. After telling her about Helena's decision to quit when the pressure got to be too much, she reminisced about an older dancer she remembered who had a private tutor to get her through her high school classes in order to free up more time for ballet.
That dancer is actually currently the principal dancer for Utah Regional Ballet, Rachelle Jardine. One of the sweetest girls I have ever met.
Well, anyways, although Will didn't mind the others missing his concert (since he is only playing an instrument under duress and his heart is not in it), they both felt bad for missing it. So, once everyone was back home, we went out to eat to 'celebrate' Will's concert.
While eating dinner, I mentioned what this other 'ballet mom' had said. It is no secret that the most serious dancers push all else aside in order to focus fully on dance. Helena commented that she wished she could have done that, too, but knew we would never have allowed her to.
And here is where we play "what if?" Would I have bent over backward to rearrange her life, lighten her school load, so she could have stayed in dance? The truth is, it would have been nearly impossible when she was 15 (the age she was when she quit), because I couldn't drive her around during the day.
However, if she had stuck it out for one more agonizing year, I probably would have helped her lighten her load somehow once she was 16 and driving herself.
And here is where regret comes in.
Do I regret letting her quit?
Absolutely not! Our relationship has improved drastically since she quit ballet. I have gotten to spend lots more time with her over the past two years that has been very precious to me. I am less stressed about the constant strain on our family finances. And, truthfully, with the politics and money involved, the studio and company had already chosen their 'darlings', and Helena wasn't one of them. Bottom line, I got my daughter back.
Does she regret quitting?
I think so.
I am sorry for that. I don't want her to live with regrets so soon in life. I hope she realizes that URB is not the only dance company or opportunity on the planet, and that she doesn't have to go crazy all out in dance in order to enjoy it. I am hoping that when she registers for college, she can sign up for some dance classes there, and maybe get a minor in dance, just for the fun of it!
In the meantime, stay tuned for a post with the video of Will's band playing "The Polar Express"!
Band Bash 2010
Will plays the Euphonium (Bass Clef), aka, the baritone. He is in the Junior High Symphonic Band.
Last week, American Fork High School hosted the annual Band Bash. This is an event where ALL of the bands from the high school and the junior high put on a concert in the gym of the high school. Literally hundreds upon hundreds of band students fill the floor of the gym, while over a thousand spectators watch from the bleachers. Every year this extravaganza starts with the beginning jr. high band and works its way up the experience ladder to end with a stunning performance from the reigning, undefeated state champion marching band.
The band program is the pride and joy of the high school and a lot of funding has gone into it. It seems very incongruous, therefore, to see this amazing band crowded in and performing in the school's run down gymnasium!
Still, a fun night of performances. Afterward, it took literally FOREVER to find Will again, because, of course, we forgot to designate a meeting spot. Doh!
Ah well. We all found each other in the end, and it was a very mild night, so all's well that ends well.
Solo/Ensemble Night
Tonight was the Solo/Ensemble night at the junior high. Will was in a rather large group. 3 baritones, 2 tubas, one trombone, four french horns and four trumpets. His group was the third to perform.
Solo/Ensemble night is really not performed to the parents, though they are allowed to watch. The night is really an adjudication. One judge sat and evaluated their group and ranked them. If they score high enough, they will be invited to Regional.
While Will was off somewhere warming up and tuning up with his group, Bill and I listened to the first couple of ensembles perform for the judge. The first group was TERRIBLE!!! Holy cow, they were bad! Off pitch, off the beat, and a collection of mismatched individuals rather than a cohesive group. I began to worry that maybe I shouldn't record Will's group; what if they sounded that bad?! The second group started out really strong, but got off track somewhere in the middle and limped painfully to the end of their piece. Then it was time for Will's group.
They sounded great! No, I am not just a biased mommy. They kept the meter, they kept the tone, they kept the pitch! The showcase trumpet had a bit of the nerves and faded out on some of his notes, but they were all the correct notes! Hurray for Will's group!
After that, Bill and I waited outside of the band room while Will filled out an evaluation form on three other groups. I was glad that Will's group was scheduled so early in the evening. The Ensembles were scheduled all the way until 8 p.m. Also, the school was about to be over run by a town-hall style meeting hosted by Senator Orrin Hatch.
Oh. I should also mention that after Will put his baritone away and as he was moving back into the band room to fill out observation evaluations, I heard a girl suddenly call out "Will!" She then ran up to him and gave him a hug as a greeting before heading off in another direction. A GIRL! ACK! :)
9th grade registration.... ALREADY?!
I'M NOT READY! I'M NOT READY!! I'M NOT READY!!!!
My youngest child brought home his 9th grade registration yesterday. He is looking at and planning his first high school credits! How did that come about?! I can't possibly be old enough for such an event. Yet, here we are.
The school is offering 1st year Japanese for the first time next year. Will knows that I was going to require that he chose a language next year and was in an agony of indecision over Spanish, German, or French. Not anymore. He is DETERMINED to take Japanese. Quite excited, actually. I explained that it is much more difficult because you have to learn several completely different alphabets; it is nothing at all like English. He thinks that is the coolest part about it!
Thankfully, Trina and her kids learned Japanese during their time in Japan, so I have a ready resource just a phone call away. She is also boxing up her Rosetta Stone software and shipping it to me so that Will can get a head start on the class over the course of the summer.
Because Japanese, Band, and Seminary are full year courses, Will has only one 1/2 year elective left to choose. He can't decide between History of World Wars (Social Studies elective credit), Metal Shop (CTE credit), and Computer Tech (required of everyone to graduate). Tough call. I gave him some pros and cons for each choice, but will leave it up to him to decide.
I think Computer Tech might be a good candidate for online summer course. The school district has an online high school for those who need to catch up on credits, and for those who want to get ahead. In the summer before 9th grade Helena took Fitness for Life (required PE credit) online. I think I will connect with Celeste Baker (her son, Dallan, is Will's best friend) and see if we can register both boys for Fitness for Life together this summer. It is good to do online stuff together. Helena and her best friend, Caitlin, plan to take Financial Literacy (another graduation requirement) online together this summer.
Doing online requirements opens up options for taking the fun stuff during the school year. Helena wants to take photography classes and Will is interested in welding. Both want to open up their schedules in their senior year. I say 'great'!
Band Bash
I don't know the names of all the High School bands. They all sounded wonderful to me! At the end, all the students grabbed chairs and stands and shoved them out of the way so the marching band could take the floor and perform. They are really quite extraordinary! They sound better than many college bands! All of the marching band members play in other high school bands. Some are even freshmen that still attend the jr. high.
There were some bands not performing that night, as well. The jazz bands were not represented, nor the steel drum bands. And the truly beginning elementary bands were not there as well.
Afterwards, we went out to dinner at JCW, a local burger joint, and had a great time. Now we are looking forward to the Holiday concert!
American Fork Marching Band bus crash
The school marching band was at a competition at Idaho State University yesterday and swept first place in all categories in their division. They were traveling home on I-15 in four buses when the driver of the second bus (from what the news is telling) blacked out due to a medical condition. Heather Christensen, the woodwind instructor, was sitting right by the driver and jumped up to try to regain control of the bus, and was killed when the bus crashed. She is being hailed as a hero and is credited for saving the lives of the students on the bus by her actions.
At first we thought it was Mrs. Christianson, a new young teacher who was a student teacher in Will's band last year and has been hired part time at the Jr. High. Since some Jr. High 9th graders are in the HS marching band, we thought the news was about her. Will was very upset! Then we found out that it was Ms. Christensen, the woodwind instructor at the HS. Both Helena and Will know her, too, though.
Here is a link to the Salt Lake Tribune's news article.
We got a phone call about 15 minutes after the crash. Helena answered the phone and immediately started crying and worrying about her friends in the band program. After a few stressed out minutes, I suggested she try calling their cell phones. She was able to reach her friend, Daniel, who is on the drum line. He told her he was in the bus immediately behind the one that crashed and that the crashed bus was the woodwind bus!
We then thought of Ellie and Sierra John and Aleen Day. They are girls in our ward who play woodwind instruments in the marching band. Helena has known them for half her life. Helena called her YW adviser and found out that Bro. and Sis. John had driven up to the competition, so Ellie and Sierra were riding home with their parents and weren't on the bus, but saw the crash.
Aleen was in the bus, though. She was one of the students who were life flighted to the hospital with back injuries! The information her family has sent out is that she seems to be okay and has been kept in the hospital overnight for observation. I can only imagine the stress to her family! I am sure they left immediately for Idaho. Aleen's mother has been battling breast cancer this past year. They didn't need any more on their plates!
This was just another example to me of how the world has changed! News and information is now instantly available. When President Hinkley died, we knew within moments of the news release because Helena's friends texted her. In fact, there was a fire storm of text at that occasion, as there was now. Phone calls, texts, and social networking sites spread the news throughout the community instantly. There was no agonized waiting at the school for parents to wait and hear which students were injured.
The high school students gathered at the school at midnight to welcome home the returning buses, and the students are all going to dress in Sunday best for school on Monday to Honor Ms. Christensen.
At first we thought it was Mrs. Christianson, a new young teacher who was a student teacher in Will's band last year and has been hired part time at the Jr. High. Since some Jr. High 9th graders are in the HS marching band, we thought the news was about her. Will was very upset! Then we found out that it was Ms. Christensen, the woodwind instructor at the HS. Both Helena and Will know her, too, though.
Here is a link to the Salt Lake Tribune's news article.
We got a phone call about 15 minutes after the crash. Helena answered the phone and immediately started crying and worrying about her friends in the band program. After a few stressed out minutes, I suggested she try calling their cell phones. She was able to reach her friend, Daniel, who is on the drum line. He told her he was in the bus immediately behind the one that crashed and that the crashed bus was the woodwind bus!
We then thought of Ellie and Sierra John and Aleen Day. They are girls in our ward who play woodwind instruments in the marching band. Helena has known them for half her life. Helena called her YW adviser and found out that Bro. and Sis. John had driven up to the competition, so Ellie and Sierra were riding home with their parents and weren't on the bus, but saw the crash.
Aleen was in the bus, though. She was one of the students who were life flighted to the hospital with back injuries! The information her family has sent out is that she seems to be okay and has been kept in the hospital overnight for observation. I can only imagine the stress to her family! I am sure they left immediately for Idaho. Aleen's mother has been battling breast cancer this past year. They didn't need any more on their plates!
This was just another example to me of how the world has changed! News and information is now instantly available. When President Hinkley died, we knew within moments of the news release because Helena's friends texted her. In fact, there was a fire storm of text at that occasion, as there was now. Phone calls, texts, and social networking sites spread the news throughout the community instantly. There was no agonized waiting at the school for parents to wait and hear which students were injured.
The high school students gathered at the school at midnight to welcome home the returning buses, and the students are all going to dress in Sunday best for school on Monday to Honor Ms. Christensen.
Will's Jazz band struggles
Will enjoys playing his trumpet. He doesn't enjoy getting up early to go to Jazz band. He also doesn't practice like he should.
He has been more and more reluctant to go to Jazz band because he is falling farther and farther behind the ability curve due to lack of practice. Go figure.
What he really wants is to play his trumpet in the Concert Band again.
However, he doesn't want to give up the Baritone (Euphonium), either.He loves the awesome, deep bass tones it makes. He doesn't like jumping from Treble clef to Bass clef. I pointed out that piano players have to read both at the same time. He didn't appreciate the input. Hee, hee, hee!
The reality is, there are too many trumpets in the Concert band, so the competition for that part is really stiff. He wouldn't do well as a trumpet player in that band because there are so many other players who actually practice consistently! There is always a shortage of bass brass players, so it is a good fit for my son. The band teacher will be more patient with him and will work with me on encouraging Will to practice.
The Jazz band is voluntary, so anyone who is willing to show up for class is welcome. Again, a good fit for my son who is still working on building good practicing habits.
My son Will
Will played football again this year. This time, his team was really good! They only lost one game in the season, but lost in the playoffs. He was #14 this year.
He was a devil for Halloween.
He plays the trumpet with the Jr. High beginning jazz band. 
He also plays the baritone (bass euphonium) with the concert band.
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