Back again to voice my amazing (manly) opinion on our performance at the Region 6 Assessment.
Unlike our other events, which were competitions, this was an assessment. We were not competing against any schools. We received a single score, an overall band rating.
Band Overall: 2
Not cool Region 6 judges, not cool at all. A two? A two? At least we're consistent. (finding the light in the dark abyss here)
I could handle all of the other 2's we received, but this was our best performances to date. We gave everything we had, and what did we get in return? The same comments we've heard over and over again.
-More sound
-More sound
-Play louder
-That bass clarinets steps aren't high enough. (oops, my bad)
Don't get me wrong, constructive criticism is great. It's necessary to improve.
But having it banged against our delicate heads does nothing for us as a band.
We played our butts off. They literally fell off, I'm pretty sure mine is still at NLR somewhere. I have to go back and get it sometime.
I had third party collaboration, and they say that it's the best we've ever sounded!
Mind you, these were band parents, but harshly opinionated band parents. (if there is such a thing?)
I can't say I'm horribly distraught, though. We weren't the only school to receive a 2. In fact, the only school to receive a 1 was North Pulaski, (like they always do.)
Every other school received a 2, or dare I say lower !
That's right. Certain schools received a 3. In all my professional marching career, I've never heard of a band getting a 3. It hurt me to hear that. I cringed.
Guess what we have to look forward to now? CONCERT SEASON!
Tomorrow we will begin our escapades in concert music.
Sure, we can't take Sweepstakes, but we can still try our hardest to get a 1 during concert competition.
Don't forget about All Region either!
It's right around the corner so start practicing now!
That's all she wrote.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Showcase of Bands: At least I got a t-shirt.
Reflection time again.
Drum Major: Division 1
Good. That's what he deserved. The only complaint last time was his tiny down beat.
He fixed it, and thus his division goes up. Keep going Luke, and keep getting one's.
You've made everything very clear. Every count, every crescendo, every decrescendo, I can tell exactly where it is.
Thumbs up.
Percussion: Division 1
Woohoo! What more can I say?
I said it last week, they weren't going to put up with the rating they received, so they changed it. It's amazing considering only 4 percussionists were present, not including pit. I will say this though, there is always room for improvement. Maybe you missed your spot once, maybe one of your hits was off? Next time, fix it, and you'll have earned that 1 even more so.
Color Guard: Division 1
Consistency is a good thing. Great job! You twirled through the wind, and didn't let it affect you.
Well, I mean that, you kept going despite the wind, you egg-beater(ed?), tossed, and spun like no one's business. You deserved what you got, but a word if I may,
like I said last week, don't get cocky, because it'll come back and smack you in the face. Quite possibly in the form of a flag pole ramming into your face. Not pretty, at all.
Band Overall: Division 2
I'm not exactly sure what they want from us anymore. I'd like to make a point if I may.
Band class is determined by the size of your school. Not the size of your band, the size of your school. How is that a fair representation of our band?
Example time!
School A and B have 500 students each. School A has 100 participants in band, while School B has only 25. Not the same is it? Then why should it be fair to judge them equally? Of course School B isn't going to be as loud as School A. It's just not possible, well it is, but School B would sound like crap if they tried too.
So...
given this situation, do you believe it's fair to judge them equally?
Hmmm? It'd be easy to stick microphones and amps on the sideline, but how does that prove anything?
Telling us to play out, when we are putting everything we have into an instrument, is completely ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
You know what? I'm not dissappointed, at all. How can I be?
We put everything we had into that show, and nothing less. If they think it's only worth a 2, that's fine. We know we tried hard. We did our best.
I will tell you what really hurt me. I don't get frustrated much, but this is sickening.
While leaving the field, everyone was excited. We did ten times better than last year. We were happy! Nothing could bring us down.
Boy, was I wrong.
Sitting down to hear that every group around us had gotten a division 1 brought our spirits up so high there was nothing that compared to it.
But to sit there and hear that we got a Division 2, crushed me.
The idea that our best, wasn't good enough, disturbed me deeply.
At that point the excitement I had before, was quickly drained.
Of course I clapped when the other bands got their awards, but nothing would bring me back.
And here I am, typing this out. Still feeling horrible.
Oh, well, nothing I can do now...
except sleep.
Hey, at least I got a neat t-shirt.
Drum Major: Division 1
Good. That's what he deserved. The only complaint last time was his tiny down beat.
He fixed it, and thus his division goes up. Keep going Luke, and keep getting one's.
You've made everything very clear. Every count, every crescendo, every decrescendo, I can tell exactly where it is.
Thumbs up.
Percussion: Division 1
Woohoo! What more can I say?
I said it last week, they weren't going to put up with the rating they received, so they changed it. It's amazing considering only 4 percussionists were present, not including pit. I will say this though, there is always room for improvement. Maybe you missed your spot once, maybe one of your hits was off? Next time, fix it, and you'll have earned that 1 even more so.
Color Guard: Division 1
Consistency is a good thing. Great job! You twirled through the wind, and didn't let it affect you.
Well, I mean that, you kept going despite the wind, you egg-beater(ed?), tossed, and spun like no one's business. You deserved what you got, but a word if I may,
like I said last week, don't get cocky, because it'll come back and smack you in the face. Quite possibly in the form of a flag pole ramming into your face. Not pretty, at all.
Band Overall: Division 2
I'm not exactly sure what they want from us anymore. I'd like to make a point if I may.
Band class is determined by the size of your school. Not the size of your band, the size of your school. How is that a fair representation of our band?
Example time!
School A and B have 500 students each. School A has 100 participants in band, while School B has only 25. Not the same is it? Then why should it be fair to judge them equally? Of course School B isn't going to be as loud as School A. It's just not possible, well it is, but School B would sound like crap if they tried too.
So...
given this situation, do you believe it's fair to judge them equally?
Hmmm? It'd be easy to stick microphones and amps on the sideline, but how does that prove anything?
Telling us to play out, when we are putting everything we have into an instrument, is completely ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
You know what? I'm not dissappointed, at all. How can I be?
We put everything we had into that show, and nothing less. If they think it's only worth a 2, that's fine. We know we tried hard. We did our best.
I will tell you what really hurt me. I don't get frustrated much, but this is sickening.
While leaving the field, everyone was excited. We did ten times better than last year. We were happy! Nothing could bring us down.
Boy, was I wrong.
Sitting down to hear that every group around us had gotten a division 1 brought our spirits up so high there was nothing that compared to it.
But to sit there and hear that we got a Division 2, crushed me.
The idea that our best, wasn't good enough, disturbed me deeply.
At that point the excitement I had before, was quickly drained.
Of course I clapped when the other bands got their awards, but nothing would bring me back.
And here I am, typing this out. Still feeling horrible.
Oh, well, nothing I can do now...
except sleep.
Hey, at least I got a neat t-shirt.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Cabot Invitational: A reflection.
Hi. Not much of an introduction, but that pretty much describes my mood.
Not much to say, not much I can do.
I plan to critique each of our scores, you may agree with my critique you may not.
I call it as I see it.
Cabot Invitational Scores
Band Overall: Division 2
That's understandable. I can think of ten things we could've done better. Really. We could've been much louder. We could've used more accents. We could've stayed in time.
etc.
But guess what that means? We have to fix it. We have a week to do so?
This means we try our hardest and fix the problem.
Drum Major: Division 2
Say what? Excuse, did I hear that correctly? According to our "critique", Luke may have been the best part of our band. Our "critique" said that Luke had the confidence, and that we had to return the sentiment. That's right, I can dig that.
But to have it turned around, and miss Division 1 by a single point, really grinds my gears. I realize a judge can't add up all their points as they write them, but by 1 point. I don't know, that just seems a little "messed up?"
Color Guard: Division 1
Now, this is a score I really don't understand. Each color guard member is an amazing person as individuals, but together, it's not what it could be.
I mean no offense to anyone, but it could be much better.
And I believe the color guard knows it, and I have faith they will strive to improve.
Don't take this 1 as, "Improvement isn't needed."
Take it as, "Yeah, that's nice, but we could do better."
In my eyes, the color guard is at the same level as the band.
And following that logic, we should've gotten a 1 or the color guard should've gotten a 2.
Percussion: Division 2
Not much to say here. I know they will try to improve.
Judging by some dissappointed attitudes, they didn't their score.
I have faith they'll try even harder.
My Opinion:
Hey, guess what. We can do better. We are going to better.
We have to do better. I may not agree with all the scores, but there is nothing I can do about it.
The past is past is the past. We can't change it.
All we can do is look ahead, and make sure it's better than before.
Not much to say, not much I can do.
I plan to critique each of our scores, you may agree with my critique you may not.
I call it as I see it.
Cabot Invitational Scores
Band Overall: Division 2
That's understandable. I can think of ten things we could've done better. Really. We could've been much louder. We could've used more accents. We could've stayed in time.
etc.
But guess what that means? We have to fix it. We have a week to do so?
This means we try our hardest and fix the problem.
Drum Major: Division 2
Say what? Excuse, did I hear that correctly? According to our "critique", Luke may have been the best part of our band. Our "critique" said that Luke had the confidence, and that we had to return the sentiment. That's right, I can dig that.
But to have it turned around, and miss Division 1 by a single point, really grinds my gears. I realize a judge can't add up all their points as they write them, but by 1 point. I don't know, that just seems a little "messed up?"
Color Guard: Division 1
Now, this is a score I really don't understand. Each color guard member is an amazing person as individuals, but together, it's not what it could be.
I mean no offense to anyone, but it could be much better.
And I believe the color guard knows it, and I have faith they will strive to improve.
Don't take this 1 as, "Improvement isn't needed."
Take it as, "Yeah, that's nice, but we could do better."
In my eyes, the color guard is at the same level as the band.
And following that logic, we should've gotten a 1 or the color guard should've gotten a 2.
Percussion: Division 2
Not much to say here. I know they will try to improve.
Judging by some dissappointed attitudes, they didn't their score.
I have faith they'll try even harder.
My Opinion:
Hey, guess what. We can do better. We are going to better.
We have to do better. I may not agree with all the scores, but there is nothing I can do about it.
The past is past is the past. We can't change it.
All we can do is look ahead, and make sure it's better than before.
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