On Friday we had band festival. Last week we were in between a two and a three. That was bad. But man, we play so well under pressure. We got all ones, from what the judge said, I don’t think it was a very hard decision. We even made Cha cry on the slow song! I’m just amazed that we played so well, we never did that practicing! I even had to pass out music for sightreading, and I ruled at that too.
I’m sick today, I stayed home from school yeterday and today too, I’m planning on being at school tommarow though. I think I have the flu. However, that’s not my post.
Remember last year, when I had solo and ensamble? You might not, because the only people who would know are people who know me personally or people who have been reading my blog since it was started, but then again, those are the only people who read this. Anyways, I’m doing a solo and a quartet with Taylor, Will, and Tyler. Last year I (or we) got a one (an A) for our rating. This year’s music is much harder though. I know we can do it, but I’ll (or we’ll) have to work hard, especially since we have to practice our auditions for high school band. The music is hard, and we hae to play a chromatic scale from memory the whole range of our instrument. That’s pretty high. I can play it now, as long as I’m warmed up and there’s not a big jump to it. when I’m nervous, I don’t know if I’ll be able to. I know we don’t have to play tha high, if we can’t, but I’d be mad at myself if I didn’t even try and end up being in concert band, and not in jazz band. That’s what I’m really looking forward to, is jazz band, ever since I heard them play “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder. We might be able to play it when I’m a senior, because then no one will have played it twice, but I doubt it. I’ll just have to ask. It doesn’t matter that much though, because a lot of the songs that they play are cool or pretty. I hope our group will be able to be as good, because the seniors graduating this year include some very talented musicians. I think we’ll be fine.
We got our honors band results yesterday, everyone who tried out made it……. I’m in the first band and I’m second chair baby! I’m the only trumpet player from our band who’s in band one. I wish Taylor had tried out, because I’m all alone…….. We got the music today. The first band is playing The Great Locomotive Chase. I love that song! The eighth graders played it last year.
Today we got the results of challenges. I didn’t want to tie with Taylor. I REALLY didn’t want to tie. But we did. Both of us were sad, we didn’t want to play scales in front of everybody. We had to play our Ab scale. Taylor had to go first and when he started he hit an F before hitting the Bb. He then played the rest just fine. I started out on a Bb, and then played it correctly.
In jazz band we played “Into the Land of Make Believe” it’s a cool song, but I don’t think it fits with the title. It even has a trumpet “solo”, exept all of the first trumpets play it. It’s still pretty cool though. Then I had a private trumpet lesson, and Mr. G. checked my trumpet, the only thing he said as that I’d need to be careful to keep my mouth the same so it would be in tune.
I finially found out what chair I am in jazz band! I’m second chair, Taylor got first of course. I’ll kick his butt in challenges though!
Last night I had a really good riding lesson, it was the group of people (young teenagers mostly) that you get to do a lot of fun stuff with. We even got to hand gallop! It was my first time and it was so much fun! We also did lots of lead changes. When we jumped we did bending lines (my first on Guy), which I love, especially on Guy. I had one refusal, but I knew what I did, which I have a hard time doing.