Band Camp- Afternoon
After lunch, it was time for sectionals. The entire band met in the field across the street from our dorms, and headed off to go practice our music. There was a stampede as each section raced for the large shade trees. The clarinets had a better idea.
Earlier, we had spied an area under one of the buildings. Steps led to an entrance below the library that was perfect for our needs. The concrete was shaded by the library above and the pillars that supported it provided us with a good place to lean on as we sat. In addition to Channing, Mrs. Williams, our band directors wife, was to help us.
Taking out Pictures of Spain, we began to lean our music. The first section was easy enough. Parts A+B, we learned quickly enough, but once we got to C all was lost. The seconds for some reason had a harder part then the firsts. The rhythm was hard, but we could get it. It was the notes we were having trouble with. For one thing, it was in the high upper register, and another there were all sorts of flats and sharps we were relatively unfamiliar with.
A few minutes of playing a had us frustrated and cranky. Mrs. Williams told us to calm down, and that we would work more on it later. We tried to move on, but the same happened with D. Also skipping that part, we moved on and finished from E to the end before our time was up. Now it was time for a full band rehearsal.
Gathering under the largest tree, we ran through Pictures of Spain. Many of the sections had finished the song, so we ran all the way through. At least some ran all the way through. It was only our first day to play it all so many of us did what we like to call free-styling, in which we play whatever random notes we can think of and try to stay somewhat near the tune. After our initial play through, we worked on the parts Mr. Williams thought needed help.
The end of rehearsal couldn't have come soon enough. Our legs were aching for having stood for the past hour, and our arms felt as if they were about to fall off from holding our horns at attention. Mr. Williams saw the drooping in our performance and finally we played through it for a final time. Now it was time for the high of our day, afternoon break. Slumping back to the dorms, many people collapsed on their beds as soon they entered their rooms. Others, such as me, wandered around the campus stopping for a few minutes of conversation with whoever we came upon. Others still, found their way to the gym to scope out the pool(which was being cleaned) I, like I said, wandered around from room to room, talking to different people. After a while, I got thirsty, so I went and found a working coke machines as the two in our dorm were broken. It ended all to soon. Once again we lined up outside our dorms to go eat. Dinner was quite good, considering it was a cafeteria and cafeterias have a reputation for being notoriously bad. We finished with just enough time to run back to our rooms and get our instruments before running back out to block.
Instead of doing fundamental block, we went straight to learning sets. Quickly blocking the parts we had learned so far, we got started on new sets as soon as possible. We followed the same routine as we had that morning. First we would learn a new spot, then march to it a few times before marching and playing. We ran through what we had learned over and over until it was burned into our minds. After a while it grew dark and we quit on set number 10. Gathering by the streetlight, we practiced our music some more. It seemed like ages before Mr. Williams called us to parade rest and released us for the night. Snacks were in the building in front of us, so we all went there for our coke and snack (caffeine and sugar before bed, how smart) There was a mad dash back to the doors for hot showers. Thankfully, I made it in and was the 2nd in line. My water was still warmed, whereas other girls after me were not so lucky.
My hair was still wet when I was forced into the room by the chaperones. It was a while before I went to bed as I have always had a problem with insomnia. Not sure if I really have it, but it definitely seems so. I don't know what time it was when I finally fell asleep, but I did. One day gone, four days left.
After lunch, it was time for sectionals. The entire band met in the field across the street from our dorms, and headed off to go practice our music. There was a stampede as each section raced for the large shade trees. The clarinets had a better idea.
Earlier, we had spied an area under one of the buildings. Steps led to an entrance below the library that was perfect for our needs. The concrete was shaded by the library above and the pillars that supported it provided us with a good place to lean on as we sat. In addition to Channing, Mrs. Williams, our band directors wife, was to help us.
Taking out Pictures of Spain, we began to lean our music. The first section was easy enough. Parts A+B, we learned quickly enough, but once we got to C all was lost. The seconds for some reason had a harder part then the firsts. The rhythm was hard, but we could get it. It was the notes we were having trouble with. For one thing, it was in the high upper register, and another there were all sorts of flats and sharps we were relatively unfamiliar with.
A few minutes of playing a had us frustrated and cranky. Mrs. Williams told us to calm down, and that we would work more on it later. We tried to move on, but the same happened with D. Also skipping that part, we moved on and finished from E to the end before our time was up. Now it was time for a full band rehearsal.
Gathering under the largest tree, we ran through Pictures of Spain. Many of the sections had finished the song, so we ran all the way through. At least some ran all the way through. It was only our first day to play it all so many of us did what we like to call free-styling, in which we play whatever random notes we can think of and try to stay somewhat near the tune. After our initial play through, we worked on the parts Mr. Williams thought needed help.
The end of rehearsal couldn't have come soon enough. Our legs were aching for having stood for the past hour, and our arms felt as if they were about to fall off from holding our horns at attention. Mr. Williams saw the drooping in our performance and finally we played through it for a final time. Now it was time for the high of our day, afternoon break. Slumping back to the dorms, many people collapsed on their beds as soon they entered their rooms. Others, such as me, wandered around the campus stopping for a few minutes of conversation with whoever we came upon. Others still, found their way to the gym to scope out the pool(which was being cleaned) I, like I said, wandered around from room to room, talking to different people. After a while, I got thirsty, so I went and found a working coke machines as the two in our dorm were broken. It ended all to soon. Once again we lined up outside our dorms to go eat. Dinner was quite good, considering it was a cafeteria and cafeterias have a reputation for being notoriously bad. We finished with just enough time to run back to our rooms and get our instruments before running back out to block.
Instead of doing fundamental block, we went straight to learning sets. Quickly blocking the parts we had learned so far, we got started on new sets as soon as possible. We followed the same routine as we had that morning. First we would learn a new spot, then march to it a few times before marching and playing. We ran through what we had learned over and over until it was burned into our minds. After a while it grew dark and we quit on set number 10. Gathering by the streetlight, we practiced our music some more. It seemed like ages before Mr. Williams called us to parade rest and released us for the night. Snacks were in the building in front of us, so we all went there for our coke and snack (caffeine and sugar before bed, how smart) There was a mad dash back to the doors for hot showers. Thankfully, I made it in and was the 2nd in line. My water was still warmed, whereas other girls after me were not so lucky.
My hair was still wet when I was forced into the room by the chaperones. It was a while before I went to bed as I have always had a problem with insomnia. Not sure if I really have it, but it definitely seems so. I don't know what time it was when I finally fell asleep, but I did. One day gone, four days left.