I will be performing with the Sounds of Sousa band tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM at Hoover High School in Canton, Ohio. In addition to the various marches we’ll play as our name indicates, we’ll also pay more modern selections such as Shostakovich’s Festive Overture. Be sure to come check us out!
For the first time since the Highland orchestra program returned four years ago, if not the first time ever, the Highland High School Orchestra will be participating in the 2013 OMEA state contest. The orchestra is scheduled to perform at 6:35 PM Friday evening at Lakewood High School. This program has come a long way in such a short time and this is just the next step in the growth of the Highland orchestra program overall, not just at the high school level. The students have a lot to be proud of and my wife, Rachel, who has led them to this point, has made this all happen pretty much on her own until this year. The ratings the orchestra gets tomorrow won’t matter so much as the actual milestone they’ve achieved.
The best part? Next year’s freshman class all started with Rachel in the 5th grade and are the first class of students to move up to high school with that distinction. Over the next few years, the quality of the program is going to shoot up even more.
Watch out, world.
The 5th graders had the spotlight on Tuesday. Now, the rest of the Highland Orchestra gets their chance to shine. The 6th, 7th, 8th, and high school orchestras perform Wednesday evening starting at 7PM in the Highland High School auditorium. This also serves as the dress rehearsal for the high school orchestra as they have their first OMEA contest appearance Friday night. The concert is free to the public and is a great chance for people to see and support these young musicians. Hope to see you there!
Tuesday night is the first of a long week of performances for the Highland Orchestra department. The 5th graders of the Highland School District will be performing together for their winter concert at the high school, starting at 7PM. Those of you in the area who like seeing young musicians in the process of learning their instrument and how to perform are welcome to come check it out!
Next Sunday (2/24/13), I will be at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, to review the WGI color guard regional taking place there. Prelims are Saturday but I’ll be traveling and visiting family in the area. The Finals event starts at 9 Sunday morning and goes until about 5 and will feature many of the top guards from the Midwest at every competitive level. If you’ll be there, either as a spectator or with a competing unit, come find me. I’ll have my Glassmen corps jacket, covered in patches for easy recognition, plus my iPad and/or laptop for taking notes about the shows.
You can find more information about the regional at the WGI website:
https://wgi.org/event-details/02232013-Color-Guard-Indianapolis-Regional.html
If you won’t be there, be sure to follow me on the various social networks for one-shot thoughts on each unit. You can find all of my social networking goodness here:
See you next Sunday!
I got about halfway through recording the first Box Center of the new year when my PC crashed. Even though I had saved my recording up to nearly that point, the crash corrupted the file and was not recoverable. I will attempt to record the show again tomorrow. Watch for it in your iTunes or podcast client.
My wife and I listened to the audiobook format of this novella while driving home from visiting family Christmas night. Before I get into the book itself, I would like to say that I enjoyed Stephen Lang’s reading of the story and would be interested in hearing more of his audiobook work.
One of the traits I enjoy about Stephen King’s writing is that he writes very compelling characters. They’re very much human beings, some good, some bad, all with their faults and personality quirks from how their lives have treated them. The characters of Becky and Cal DeMuth are no exception. I found myself liking them as people before they even reached the field of tall grass where most of the story takes place. They are also, not surprisingly, both New Englanders. This isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact, I find it a little amusing. (More …)
Another Christmas has gone by. Although my wife and I had to leave Indianapolis Christmas night to get home ahead of the oncoming blizzard, we both enjoyed the time we did have with our family. My sister-in-law Molly made great food to enjoy as we watched our niece Tess discover the wonder of opening presents Christmas morning, then playing with said presents throughout the day. Now, as SNERMERGERD 2012 drops a metric ton of white stuff on my home and most of the Midwest, I have plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the great gifts my family gave me this year.