Exhibition

I feel awful. This blog has both died and become some kind of band-focused compilation of ramblings. Oops.

Two years ago, I attended the marching band exhibition at Norcross as a clarinet player. I loved watching every school perform, and I loved that tingly feeling you got on the back of your neck when the cymbals rolled across a melodious brass line. I wanted nothing more than to be a part of this magic, playing beautiful and inspiring music with my peers. But the thing I remembered most was watching the Brookwood Band and watching their drum majors. So, I'll admit it. I was already entranced by the idea of conducting on a podium. I wanted more than anything to be able to mimic those amazingly musical gestures and stand before 200 people. But then, watching the Asian drum major on the podium (ok, I knew her. but, I know. get over it. how many Asian drum majors do you know?? :-P) inspired me so much that I knew conducting was where I wanted to be.. or maybe even belonged. I remember going home and raving to my friends (Timmy!) about how awesome she was and how much I wanted to be just like her (ok lame underclassmen memories. but yeah. :D).

Today the Seniors had our final marching band exhibition (kind of like a show where the people in the stands are quiet, and we get judged but do not compete) at Brookwood High School. It was my second and final exhibition as a drum major. We have our first official competition this Saturday (the first out of two!), and we only have 3 home games left until the season is officially over (unless.. we somehow manage to make State.). It's beginning to dawn on me that this amazing part of my life will not last forever. I can't believe my high school band career is coming to a close. I remember asking Donnell this past summer if he ever felt withdrawl from not being able to conduct his band. The look on his face was so sad, and I felt really bad for him. I knew the thrill of being on the podium, and I learned to love the feeling of yelling at (hee hee) 140 people under the sizziling hot sun. But I couldn't connect with the reality that this moment would be lost forever so soon... and I didn't really understand how Donnell felt, because I was still in the midst of it all. I still am. But, I've come to realize that this whole thing is ephemeral and that it will be gone within a matter of weeks.

All I have to say is: I'm amazingly happy about the past two years of my life. I can't believe I've been given such a phenomenal opportunity to grow and to grow others. Once it is over, I'll cry and be sad. But, I will hope that the band has been touched the way I have and move on, taking these memories as a part of the new and improved (haha) me. I can't say how much this all means to me. But you probably already know from reading this.


You can see why I have ditched maybe 4 hours of homework in order to write about this. I'm having some unstable emotional moment..

Emily