The One Reason I Hate Summer

Everyone loves summer. Who wouldn't want a three-month break from pencils, books, and the teacher's dirty looks? Endless nights with your friends, sleeping until noon- it all sounds so great! Did I mention the part about no math? You can do whatever you want whenever you want, as long as your mom approves.

As summer comes around the corner at the end of every year, you must remember that the five classes you had with your best friend this year is not gauranteed. You must remember that more expectations are going to be put on you the next year simply because you're growing up. Especially, when things are just the way you like it, you know it's never going to last because school changes in a blink. Got a cool subsitute while your teacher is in the Bahamas? Yeah, not for long.

If you haven't noticed yet, I hate change. It has benefits, but it is not fun. The are good changes like going into an advanced math class, but what if you have to move away? Not to mention the part where you graduate from college, and your entire life up to that point pretty much gets thrown in a well. Hey, but a benefit is you don't have to ask for your mom's approval. I know life (in the emotional state) doesn't happen without change, but still. I hate it.

One change I just went through is performing in a trio rather than a big band. Man, was it rough. I was the only horn player there. Of course, it meant more eyes on me rather than 17 other people, but it was slightly nerve-wracking. Ryan, Nick, and I made up the trio with Ryan on bass and Nick on piano. We had two rehearsals before we were supposed to perform. We prepared about nine standards and decided to take really long solos on them. It went well, mostly because no one complained that we did something wrong.

Another change I'm going to have to deal with is leaving Little Big Band. The oldest allowed in the group are freshman, and I'm nearing the start of my sophomore year. I also have to part ways with my spot in Soul Research Foundation, because I would have to reaudition again, and auditions just never go well for me. A good change is that when I finish with Little Big Band, I get a spot in the Voodoo Orchestra. I've been wanting a spot in that band for about four months now, and I can't believe I made it.

Image courtesy of Salt Lake County Library

THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU

Imagine hot, fiery cement, blistering your feet. The cruel heat is continuing to rise, pushing the mercury past 101 degrees. The sun has not even hit the midday heat- it's only ten in the morning. But still you sit there, just waiting, because nothing can move you at this point. Suddenly, it fills your ears like a drum. Oh wait, it is a drum. It's Park City High School Marching Band!

A wild Barski has appeared! 

Image courtesy of Park City Photography

They're marching down the street, straight towards you. Is that Conga you hear? Left, right, left, right. Their robot feet roll towards you. Yet it still has not occurred to you to stand up, to move out of their way. And just like that, you're mere inches from a trombone, trumpet, saxophone player. The drumline thunders on the drums with mechanical movements. Just like that, they're gone, marching towards the end of the parade. 

We work hard to make it look easy, but in reality it's one of the most difficult things I have ever done. Its so hard, we have to exercise before we rehearse. But if we do it right, we can scare others away with our body carriage and our tremendously huge sound for and a thirty-six person band. Marching is currently my favorite way to perform. We get to march pop music that most people know today, and we get an amazing reaction out of the audience. This year, we are marching Conga, and a beautiful Forget Your Uptown Funk mash-up written by Bret Hughes. 

We have already marched most of the parades this year, being that it is way past the Fourth of July and most summer holidays and celebrations. My favorite performance is yet to come, though. During the Homecoming football game, we do a halftime show on the field. It makes the hard work worth it, even though marching ends for the year after that performance. This year, Jake is our drum major. That means he gets to lead the band and conduct us while marching. Drum majors are rather special, because not a lot of people can walk backwards for a long amount of time while conducting. Molly is our section leader, which means she is responsible for how we sound. She also gets to march center in our rank, which is pretty great.

Marching Band is a great way to spend time with your horn. The physical movement of you and your instrument mean that you can develop new ways of learning music, get better chops with increased endurance, and find better ways for your personal technical playing. Not only that, but it's just fun. Being in a parade and having people enjoy your music, no matter how bad, is a wonderful feeling.

On top of doing Marching Band, I have had the opportunity to join another band. Soul Research Foundation is another band under the Caleb Chapman Soundhouse. This band is not like anything I've played in before, mostly because I'm the only trombone. We also play different music than my norm, because I've never played a Stevie Wonder or Diana Ross tune. Even though the band is under Caleb Chapman's name, our producer is Evan Wharton. Bryan is in this band with me, which helps me feel less awkward. We also tour to Telluride Jazz Festival with a few other bands, which will be really exciting. Being the only trombone means I get to whale on most of the tunes, so let's hope it's not a disaster.