It's Really February?

Well the post below is the February Blog Carnival so I guess it must be true. I can't tell you how quickly January came and went. I really enjoyed the challenges of January after the LONG break. Wright State takes a break from Thanksgiving to New Years, so other than the basketball games I didn't have a whole lot going on. Then these three events hit!

Conducting the Fight Song after the Win over Butler

First the biggest weekend(so far) of college basketball where we played Valpo and Butler on our home court. Have I mentioned that I love being the Athletic Band Director for a Div I basketball team? How many grad students get that wonderful opportunity? Anyway we split the weekend losing to Valpo and beating Butler. The win against conference rivals, Butler was something I'll remember. We combined both bands and had almost 70 members all in uniform, playing and cheering all night. There were just 9,000 fans in attendance. The feeling of raising my hands for the Star Spangled Banner and having all those people come to their feet was amazing. The whole game was electric really, all the way down to the Vaughn Duggins buzzer beater and the crowd rushing the court. I hope an NCAA or NIT bid is on the way...I would love to take my band on that adventure. I have such a vision for where I can take this group in my two year appointment.

Dr. Booth, Myself, and Professor Ponto 

Then we had Tri-State Honor Band. I had been putting the details of the honor band in place since October, but this weekend it all came together. Professor Robert Ponto was in From Oregon to work with kids from Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio on our campus. I loved hanging with the guest conductor and organizing the event as well as playing for the HS kids in the Wind Symphony. Dr. Booth may call me a nerd, but I'm glad I'm detailed, the whole thing seemed to go off without a hitch. I'm working on making a handbook to TSHB to pass down after next year.

After TSHB 2011 was capped off by a 5AM drive with Ponto to the airport, I focused on IMEA. The return to Illinois to present a clinic with Keith Ozsvath was great. We spoke to a room of fellow music educators about how to use Twitter and Facebook to have your own 24/7 Professional Development. Not everyone got into it, remember that "acquaintance" lady? Overall, the reception was great and I need to start looking into what I am going to propose for next year. It's like an addiction, I just can't get enough time to praise the use of technology to make us better teachers. Of course the other side is I got to go to all kinds of clinics and learn for myself. I really loved two of the clinics that had demonstration bands, one about new approaches to ensemble tuning, and the other about teaching musicality and expression. Inspiring! Seeing friends with Jes was a lot fun and it makes me wonder where will land after these couple of years in Ohio. What should I propose for the session next year? Ideas?

In personal news. The wedding train is chugging along thanks to my diligent future wife. She cuts through her to do list like none other. We've done engagement photos, bought her band, ordered invitations in the last month. I'm sure there's more, but that's what comes to mind. Oh and I've got the website up and running.

It's all great and I've enjoyed taking a bit of time this evening to put it together. Next week is a conducting workshop with Dr. Stephen Davis from UMKC at Ball State with Dr. Thomas Caneva. Better get back to studying my Holst and Dello Joio scores! Have a great night and make sure to share your blogs with me. I'd love to read what's going on out there.

Traveling (Pep) Band

I'd heard of a "Rambling Man", but I seem to have a traveling band. Pep Band that is!



We spent January on the bus hitting up a couple larger venue basketball games. I've never known a school to have a traveling pep band, but it was a lot of fun.



We played at Bradley University for a women's game when the BU Pep Band was still on break. The best part of that was getting to spend some time talking to Dr. Vroman. He was the All-State conductor when I was in the band in 2002. I have so much respect for him so it was nice to get to meet him as a colleague. Not and equal, but a director all the same. He said some good things about the band and is hoping some of them will come to his honor band later in the year.



The next weekend we jumped on the bus to play for the HOIC Championship night. Our band was selected by the area AD's and Principals to play the big show. Here are pictures from that...

Claire and Kory Get serious! The whole band up and ready to play.

We had a great time and even got to feel a little bit special. We had priority loading right at the front of Wesleyan's Sports Complex. However, a van blocked is in so I went to ask the driver to move which he did. I got back on the bus and told the kids that I said, "Sorry sir, you're going to have to move because the greatest band in the conference needs to get out of here after that gym shaking performance." The response from the band was incredible! It's great to see those kids all hyped up!

We are hoping to make the state games next year. It's a good venue for a smaller band and they seem very proud when kids from our basketball teams come back from away games and tell them how great our band sounds.