Black Friday Fishing Report

Hey! You go shopping and leave dinner to me! Scott and I had a pretty good day on the lake. We caught over 12 stripers and Scott even had one on a lure which is a rarity for us. We caught most of them up Beaverdam Creek on freelines with some beautiful shad we got at Better Bait. Then we moved to Bear Creek and caught a few more. It sure is nice to see some more water in the lake. I might try it again Sunday. The picture is of the two biggest ones.

Giving Thanks!

Here are some things that I am thankful for:

1. Flutes - Thank you for getting along and not yelling at each other.

2. Clarinets - Thank you for yelling at each other in such a way that usually doesn't bother me.

3. Saxophones - Thank you for not declaring all out war on each other.

4. Horns - Thank you for just thinking the things that you would like to say to me.

5. Trumpets - Thank you for playing much better than you really should for your age and for taking some pretty harsh criticism.

6. Baritones - Thank you for giving our band that special sound that nobody has. Also, thank you for not getting suspended from school until after marching season.

7. Tubas - Thank you for realizing that marching band was NOT ultimate fighting.

8. Front Ensemble - Thank you for finally playing even suspended cymbal rolls so Mr. Apple would quit yelling in my ear.

9. Battery - Thank you for playing so musically.

10. Drum Majors - Thank you for letting me yell at you even when I was wrong.

11. Colorguard - Thank you for realizing that marching band was not an audition for "Drama: A Saga of Marching Band".

12. Mr. Apple - Thank you for yelling at the battery even though you were 40 yards away from them and on the tower. It kept me on my toes.

13. Sharod - Thank you. Just thank you for all you have done for the colorguard.

14. Band Booster Club and Parents - Thank you for not forming a mutiny even when I was acting like an A** on competition days. (Or any other days for that matter!)

15. Scott - Thank you for telling people what my real address was in college.

16. Cindy - Thank you for not making me live in the garage during marching season although you threatened to often.

17. Ted and Henry - Thank you greeting me the same way not matter what. Win or lose, you guys are always happy when I come home.

18. Band Booster President - Thank you for not using my truck to back up the equipment trailer with.

19. Mom and Dad - Thank you for coming to Lower State to see us win.

20. The Band Muscle - Thank you for everything. You made things so much easier.


I hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving. Remember when your family is about to get on your last nerve, just take out your instrument and start practicing. Then you can have the last laugh!

P.S. You didn't think this was going to be a serious post...Did you?

The Two Faces of Brady

Some students have a hard time understanding that an effective director on the podium can't be a friend or even very nice when getting things "done" on a large scale. Many students that I have taken on small group trips have been surprised that, yes, I can be fun. I think some of them discover this everytime we go somewhere. So why can't I do that on the podium or at marching band rehearsal. The answer is simple...I can't be effective that way in front of a larger sized group. I am sure some people can be. Sadly, I am not one of them. I am an intense person by nature and put in front of a group of people and let me teach them something I really know and watch out! I observed a conductor work this past weekend that had less than a kind podium approach. What were the results? They were outstanding. Sometimes you have to get the job done. I bet nobody in his group was unsatisfied with the results. I use to wonder the same things. Why can this person be so intense and demanding on the podium or in a lesson and yet on a one on one level can be so different? It is just the nature of what I do. My job is find mistakes and I tell people what they are and how to fix them. I guess I could use more general terms like "One 2nd clarinet came in a half beat too early." Not me! More like " You. You sitting right there! You came in a half beat too early!" Why beat around the bush?

So the next time you think that a person is just too much to take, why not just stop in sometime to say "Hi"? You might be surprised with what you leave with.

Something to Smile About

I taught a tuba lesson today to a young lady. She really seemed happy but the best part was the way she smiled because she "got it". Playing an instrument is difficult enough, but when you really don't know how to do something in reference to playing it can be extremely frustrating. I am glad I could help her. I bet she makes region band as a 7th grader.

Tomorrow I am off to the alma mater...Winthrop. It has to be the most beautiful school in the world. I am glad I get to share it with 5 of my students. We are going up for the 27th annual band clinic. It will be fun, but it is another weekend away from home for work. At least there is a heated pool at the hotel! For three of the students, this will be their first college clinic. It can be a real reality check to find out that not only can students from other schools play well...they may even better they you!

Above is Tillman Hall at Winthrop University. I sure do miss it.

Stepping Back a Little

My posts may a bit more sparse for a while. I know this is not being read very much anymore now that marching season is over...Or is it? More on that later. It seems I have been asking too much lately out the students as far as expecting them to perform better individually. I truly thought that our success during the marching season would be a platform to which we could make some great strides as a complete band program especially in the concert area and the individual performance area. It sadly has not worked that way. For over 2 weeks now I have been pushing too hard for too little reward. I tried to make the percussion perform some ensembles. The results were less than rewarding to me and even less for them. I have been really pushing the concert band to strive for the grade 5 and 6 but alas this too has only resulted in frustration from all. I really don't think anybody at the Winter concert cares what grade of music we play anyway. I have heard a lot about "wait until next year...We are going to win state!" You think so? Maybe...Maybe not. There is a good chance we will move up to AAA next year. I bet those bands are not going to festival in grade 3 or 4. Try 5 or 6! I don't understand how students can go from practicing in the heat, sun, rain, and cold for up to 10 hours a week, to not working on their own for 45 minutes a day.

So I will be stepping back from trying to make people do what they really don't want to do. It just doesn't work. I will leaving the band room early for most days unless somebody really wants some help. I miss home and my family. Yesterday I stayed at the band room for extra help and not one student played for me so I guess it is really not needed or wanted.

So marching season is over? Not for the bands that are making strives right now by working hard individually and as a group to perform legitimate concert works. They are working towards next year's marching success right now. It will show next Fall for sure.

Monday!

It was Monday all day long. After a very nice weekend it was nice to see the kids though. One of the music reps. brought some instruments by for the kids to play. It is always a scary thing to give a 15 year old a $3,000 clarinet and say "give this a try!" I wish I could buy them all professional line instruments, but I would really need a raise to pull that off. But hey my parents didn't buy my first tuba for me. I worked a long time to get and have been through many horns throughout my career, but I have kept my first one. I have been tempted to sell it a few times for much more than I paid for it, but I just can't seem to do it. Remember the best things in life become more valuable the older they get. Like band directors! (Ha-Ha!!)

We really didn't play too well today but hopefully tomorrow will be different. I think it will take some getting use to for the kids to realize if they want to play grade 5 and 6 music, they are going to have to practice at home.

Anybody reading this that is a part of the band, please be reminded that we have our monthly booster club meeting tomorrow night in the band room at 7:00 p.m.

Making the Switch to Concert Band

Somethings are different this year. Some of the students actually are excited about concert band! We have been playing some really difficult works in class ( some maybe too hard!) but they seem to like it. It really makes me happy when a student asks "Are we going to play that again?" or when I hear " That was cool!" Band is Band! Whether you are outside marching a 100 pages of drill, inside playing a grade 6 work, at home working on your region band solo, or just spinning your flag because it makes you happy.

P.S. I will put my beginnning colorguard musicians up against anybody elses in the state!

Changing Attitudes

Here are the totals. We have 41 students paid and registered for region/all-state band auditions at the high school. We have 29 paid and registered at the middle school. That's a grand total of 70! Last year we had a record number of students make region band. We had 23 total in region and 3 in all-state. I told the students about one year ago that if they wanted to do better in marching band it was simple...They had to learn to play better. They did, and they had an amazing change in their results in marching band. From 6th at lower state to 1st and and from 9th at state to 2nd! Who knows what can happen if we get better during concert season this year. There is only one more place to do at state...To the top! Maybe making semi-finals at BOA can be a reality. And now for the top 30 marching bands in the country...The Swansea Tiger Marching Band! That has a nice ring to it. What about top 12? Ok, one step at a time. Region band auditions are the number one thing I have seen to make a difference in a student's individual playing. I am very proud of everybody that chose to take the risk. Now the next step is to get practicing.

I don't get paid a supplement for concert band season, but you can bet that I will spending a lot of extra time to get the students ready for region band auditions. Why? Because I love band and any student willing to spend their time to do the extra stuff is pay enough for me. I know it will pay greater dividends that monetary rewards can offer.

Here is the breakdown of the high school students registered to audition:

5 flutes

7 clarinets

2 bass clarinets

6 saxophones

3 horns

5 trumpets

4 trombones

1 euphonium

2 tubas

3 mallet percussion

3 snares

I will take those kind of balanced numbers any day. Great job!

Election Day Fishing Report

I was a little wary of the weather today so I stayed close to home and put in at the dam even though I had heard most of the stripers had moved up the lake. None the less, I did catch about 12 stripers today. Nothing great but fun to catch. Most of them were right in front of the towers on freelines and downrods at about 25 feet. If the weather is nice, I may venture up a ways this weekend to try to find some big ones. I hope everybody had a good day and got out there and voted if you were able.

Holy Cow Batman! We ain't got school tomorrow!

Yes, that is true. No school tomorrow due to Election Day. I will vote tomorrow, but it may be after I do a little fishing. On a personal note, my older sister competed in and finished an Ironman triathalon this past Saturday. She finished in 14 hours and 44 minutes. It was 2.2 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and then a full marathon of 26.2 miles. Wow! I guess all those genes went to her. Any way have a good day off tomorrow!

The Weekend

Not much going on here this weekend. Just some yard work. I cut back the butterfly bushes, and we got some wood for the fireplace. The boyz loved the fire last night. I am saving my fishing for Tuesday. It is supposed to rain but who cares. I have a nice rainsuit and that means there won't be many people on the lake. Now for a relaxing day of watching the race and football. Granted it is nothing like actually going to the race, but it sure is nice to be at home.

Try It...You Might Like It!

So we practice three days a week for 2.5 hours and then go to football games and travel on Saturday for marching band. Why not just get use to practicing for about 45 minutes everyday by yourself? Who knows you may find it to be a very worthwhile cause. I practiced everyday for three hours a day for five years with only one day off a week (usually Friday). You may find that hard to believe, but it is true. If I ever thought about missing a day, I felt bad. I mean kind of sick...Really! Now that marching season is over, I will start to practice regularly again. Why? Because I like to play my instrument. The world of concert band can open up many new opportunities for our band program like scholarships for the students. What a great way to back up a lower state championship and a silver medalist performance at state then straight superiors at concert festival. I am not sure if I can convince the students about the importance of individual practice though, but I will keep trying.

Now a weekend off. No band...Yeah right! It seems I am always thinking and talking about band. I love band. There are certainly worse things to do than band. Good luck to the 5A guys this weekend.

The Next Level

What does it take to get to the next level of success as a band program? Noticed I said band program and not marching band. Our success this year in marching band was made possible by a lot of hard work during the winter and spring months. What is a successful program? I think a successful program is well rounded with opportunities for students to excel both in a group (like marching band) but also as an individual. This will take individual motivation and practice. Unfortunately, our program is not in a position to offer a winterguard to help excel our visual program but that may change in the future. Certainly we own most of our success visually during this marching season to the colorguard and their instructor and we are not going to let that go away but we just are not in a position to have a full time winterguard in addition to the marching band.

What about concert band? The only band in South Carolina to make finals at BOA Nationals is Irmo. It is not coincidence that they all had one of the top concert bands in the country at the time also. Just go down the list at the top marching bands in the country and you will find that they also have the best concert bands too. If we are to excel and take the next step as a band program, there must be more of a devotion towards the individual musician and performer and to the concert band.

I have always made music and individual successes the cornerstone to the band programs that I have built and directed. It always pains me to see some of the top bands at the state marching finals not even attend concert festival. Let's work to make sure everybody knows we deserved our top positions in marching band with a ton of students in region and all state bands and straight superiors in at least grade 5 at concert festival. No band in our classification has ever dared to played grade 6 music at festival. We could change that if we all wanted too. Just a thought.

A Break

I needed a day off so I took one. What some people don't realize is the toll that the marching takes on getting things done. I need to change the oil in my truck, cut the grass, trim the bushes, and run the boat to make sure the batteries are charged. Of course I happened to take some bait with me while I ran the boat.

I was pretty impressed yesterday with the attention that the students paid during concert band. If that continues, we should have great results over the course of the concert season not to mention that it will all carry over to the marching band too.

I hope everybody was good today!