Spring break

musicteach

New member
So this week is Spring Break for my school, and with such the music department will be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia for a music competition/festival. We'll be leaving Wednesday, and getting back sometime Sunday in the afternoon (hopefully not too late!). I don't think I'm going to take my laptop, so obviously I will be absent. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up, so you don't think I jumped off a cliff or something!
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Trust you have (had) a good trip. Incidentally are you allowed to call it Easter or is that not PC?

teddy
 

musicteach

New member
Well I mean I've always called it Easter, and never had any complaints. I'm not sure if it's PC or not, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter to me until parents complain. Although I'm not Christian and do not celebrate the holiday itself, I see no reason to wish well to those that do. I get together with family and enjoying being with them and we call it a Easter celebration but that's as far as I celebrate the holiday itself.
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Sounds good to me. Easter was originally a pagan celebration. I have Hindu friends who do the same at Chritmas, celebrating the pagan side reather than the Christian side. Getting to gether with family and friends is a celebration in its self

teddy
 

musicteach

New member
I agree, Teddy. I'm Buddhist, actually. Random fact about myself I suppose. So obviously I don't believe that Christ died on the cross and was brought back and on the third day the tomb opened. As far as I'm concerned, you shouldn't need a reason together with family!
 

teddy

Duckmeister
Eating and drinking?
I can now add a Buddist to my list of friends. Have never had a Buddist friend. Jews Hindu Muslins Arabs Christians, Baptists Methodsist Quakers Catholics C of E. I have an interesting and varied life. Its always interesting to pick up a different angle.

teddy
 

teddy

Duckmeister
I have been called several things beginning with S in the past. First time for scholarly

teddy
 

musicteach

New member
Let's see A**hole Who? c*** d!ck elephant f*cker gashtly-feller hot head idiot jacka** liar motherf*cker prick ricky I've been called ricky uncle victor washer Yup quite a few there
 

teddy

Duckmeister
It must be nice to have such good friends. Some of mine are quite rude.

teddy
 
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musicteach

New member
Hah! Well we're back, and I must say, I'm immensely proud of all of my students for their OUTSTANDING weekend! So, I'm going to give the scores, but it is important to note the "classes": 3-4 persons (in the ensemble) where the quartet class. 5-20 persons the small ensemble class. Concert band with 21+ people was the concert band class. Strings with 21+ strings class. Choir with 21+ choir class. Any ensemble that had any combination of strings/band/choir was the symphony ensemble class. And finally marching band was a class of its own. So this means our brass quartet and string quartet competed against each other but our choir and concert band did not.

Class.................... Group...................Score/Medal
Quartet..................String Quartet.........87.9 and a Silver Medal
Quartet..................Brass Quartet..........97.6 and a Gold Medal
Small Ensemble......Brass Choir.............91.4 and a Gold Medal
Concert Band..........Concert Band...........94.6 and a Gold Medal
Concert Choir..........Concert Choir..........86.0 and a Silver Medal
Concert Strings.......String Orchestra.......80.01 and a Bronze Medal
Symphony.............B&G Combined Orc....98.99 and a Gold Medal
Marching................KMB........................97.45 and a Gold Medal

So that's one Bronze Medal, two Silver Medals, and five Gold Medals! Not only am I proud of them for this, but I'm also so proud of my students for their "over-the-top" display of Sportsmanship-like conduct to their fellow musicians. The marching band was also awarded for their Sportsmanship-like Conduct with the Sportsmanship Award which is given to one ensemble for the entire festival.
 
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teddy

Duckmeister
You have obviously done a great job and instilled a real love of music in your pupils. Glad you all had such a great time

teddy
 

musicteach

New member
Speaks volumes of your work with the students and their music education. Congrats my friend.

Thank you, my friend. I'm so proud of my students, I simply can't contain myself! Not because how they performed, and how much hard work they've put into this trip, but I'm especially proud of the way they carried themselves. Even getting a bronze medal, the Choir went up to the silver and gold choirs and patted them on the back, told them congratulations, and words of well wishes. I didn't tell them to, either. As a music educator, it is one of my greatest joys to see my students reach "the next level" of their playing. And everybody knows that feeling when they hit that milestone in their playing. You can know all of your scales and be perfect on your instrument. But you're still only reproducing notes on a page. You create music when you put your heart into it, when your emotions can be heard from your instruments. I've always told my students that these pieces of metal and wood don't hide what you're feeling. You can't hide behind it, it's impossible. And what I saw and heard from my students this weekend, was truly amazing and "the next level". You see, about a month ago, the senior class lost two members from a car crash. They were well known students, and were football players, and huge supporters of the band program. Many of my students were their friends. The last song the concert band played was Frank Ticheli's Amazing Grace. My students made the suggestion that we dedicate it in their memory, and I felt it was suiting. Holding the last note, I saw several of my students openly crying, but with a smile on their faces. It was at that moment, I knew that they had created something many of them had never before.

I also decided to tell the entire music department about my leaving, Friday night at dinner. There were a few tears there as well. Not only from students, but a lot from the parents. When I came to this program, the parents and the band were hurting. In life, we have to find love and hold onto it wherever we find it, and I learned for myself this weekend that I had found it here. I think my seniors took it the hardest, though. I've been one of their class advisors since they first walked through our doors as freshmen. I think many of them had this idea that they could come back in five or ten years and I'd still be here. It'll hit the underclassmen and it'll hit 'em hard at band camp. But like I told my seniors, it's time to start a new adventure, to meet new people, and hear new stories.
 
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