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.