I had originally planned to post a blog entitled "Redcoat Band Camp 2011: The Wrap-up" a while back, but I never got around to it, so it's just not going to happen! :)
The football season starts in just ten days, so I am very excited about that, but there are exciting things happening before then that I need to talk about!
Tomorrow (Thursday, August 25, 2011) will be a very long, yet interesting day. First, we are starting rehearsal off with a marching test that will determine who will march in our pregame which is very old school (8-5 steps all the way). Then, after practice is over, the first round of Battle Hymn solo auditions will be held. I am so nervous/excited about this!! If I am selected to be one of the lucky few that get to play the solo in the Battle Hymn, one of our most sacred traditions, it will not only make my day, but also my week, and probably my year! After that, I get to book it over to the School of Music for Volleyball Band rehearsal.
Speaking of Volleyball Band, our first games are this Saturday! The first one is at 12:30 and the second one starts at 7:00! Also, between the games, I am playing with the Derbies Pep Band at the Chic-fil-a on Beechwood in Athens. I think it goes without saying that I am going to be very musically tired after this weekend!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Redcoat Band Camp 2011 Part 2
Sorry for the long wait for this one folks! Its been difficult for me to find the time to write a new blog! In fact I had to find an app for my iPhone so that I could even type this!!!
Anyways, camp has been pretty awesome. Freshman Freakout (a tradition where returning members blitz through as much music as we can using our hand signals to show the rookies what they have to look forward to) was hilarious! So many of the freshmen just gave up trying to follow what was going on and sat there with looks of exasperation on their faces! Our harassment of rookies pretty well ended here and now I spend all my extra time getting to know some of these guys. The 2011 class of trumpet rookies is a pretty awesome group and I look forward to hanging out with then more of the next two years (or so)! One of them did make me feel old when she said she was only 17... I was like "Holy crap your a minor!!!" lol Kids these days!
Our first show is shaping up to be pretty awesome. It features William Tell Overture, Can Can Music, and New World Symphony. As awesome as it may be, it also may become the cause of my early demise! Moving at 172 some odd beats per minute in close quarters with trombone players may have the very same effect as a guillotine! Oh well, at least it's fun!
We are also implementing a new pregame show that pays homage to both UGA's rich heritage and the very heritage of marching bands as a whole. This translates into a lot of eight to five marching! It's very old school, but I think the fans will enjoy it, especially those who recognize the "new" songs that we haven't played in like 20 years or more!
In the end, the 107th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band can be summarized by on simple word: epic. Go Dawgs!
Anyways, camp has been pretty awesome. Freshman Freakout (a tradition where returning members blitz through as much music as we can using our hand signals to show the rookies what they have to look forward to) was hilarious! So many of the freshmen just gave up trying to follow what was going on and sat there with looks of exasperation on their faces! Our harassment of rookies pretty well ended here and now I spend all my extra time getting to know some of these guys. The 2011 class of trumpet rookies is a pretty awesome group and I look forward to hanging out with then more of the next two years (or so)! One of them did make me feel old when she said she was only 17... I was like "Holy crap your a minor!!!" lol Kids these days!
Our first show is shaping up to be pretty awesome. It features William Tell Overture, Can Can Music, and New World Symphony. As awesome as it may be, it also may become the cause of my early demise! Moving at 172 some odd beats per minute in close quarters with trombone players may have the very same effect as a guillotine! Oh well, at least it's fun!
We are also implementing a new pregame show that pays homage to both UGA's rich heritage and the very heritage of marching bands as a whole. This translates into a lot of eight to five marching! It's very old school, but I think the fans will enjoy it, especially those who recognize the "new" songs that we haven't played in like 20 years or more!
In the end, the 107th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band can be summarized by on simple word: epic. Go Dawgs!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Redcoat Band Camp 2011 Part 1
Well, I am composing this blog post while sitting in the lounge area of (the not yet open) ECV Dining Hall because I am bored to tears! We had a Derbies Pep band rehearsal this morning at 8:00, and that was fun. However, the next thing on the itinerary doesn't start until 7:00 pm. Epic Fail. I am bored out of my mind!!! The Derbies gig tonight is going to make all this waiting well worth it because I get the great honor of being part of the group that makes the first public performance as the 106th edition of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band! In addition to that tidbit of awesomeness, this performance will be the 2011 Rookie class's first introduction to many of the traditions we have in the Redcoats. For some of these guys and girls, it may even be their first time hearing the Redcoat Band live! How cool is that? I remember how awestruck I was last year at this time when I was a rookie hearing the epic sound that comes from the Derbies Pep band, and I am looking forward to helping impress that feeling on this new crop of Redcoats.
Yes, this is technically my second day of Redcoat Camp, but really and truly, a blog post that did nothing but talk about our 2.5 hour long rehearsal would not have been overly interesting, so I decided to spare you, my readers, the pain of that experience! :) All in all, this is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week back in Athens. I have already met some pretty cool rookies and meeting back up with the friends I made during last season has been a lot of fun.
Well, I am now tired of sitting here in this abandoned dining hall, so I'm going to wrap up this post now!
Goooooooooo Dawgs! Beat Smurfs (BSU)!!!
Yes, this is technically my second day of Redcoat Camp, but really and truly, a blog post that did nothing but talk about our 2.5 hour long rehearsal would not have been overly interesting, so I decided to spare you, my readers, the pain of that experience! :) All in all, this is shaping up to be a pretty awesome week back in Athens. I have already met some pretty cool rookies and meeting back up with the friends I made during last season has been a lot of fun.
Well, I am now tired of sitting here in this abandoned dining hall, so I'm going to wrap up this post now!
Goooooooooo Dawgs! Beat Smurfs (BSU)!!!
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