It's a big deal, if I actually say it out loud.
I've returned from my trip to the North American Brass Band competition. We certainly did well, taking eight individual soloist awards (including all three places in the Low Brass Melodic Solo). I wasn't originally scheduled to go on this trip, but I stepped in to substitute for... well... myself. Kind of. If that sounds confusing, then we're both on the right page.
It was an epic trip. Retroactively, I consider it a fitting reward for dealing with all this comprehensive exam business over the last few months. The band members seem to generally agree that we've got a good thing going. The band has exceptional quality for an amateur unpaid group who rehearses 3 hours a week at a community college.
Because it's composed of lots of people I know, I've always had a hard time realizing where the band fell on the scale of good to intolerable. If I didn't know before, I sure do now. We took first place in the highest division (which the band also won last year) which makes us the de facto best brass band in North America, I suppose.
It's a great feeling to be a part of a group like that. It's even greater when the group that took this trophy has several good friends and a ton of new friends. After all this academic judging in the exams, it's nice to be wanted (and rewarded!) for my ability to perform on my instrument.
It's a great feeling to perform in front of an audience of your peers and have them give you heartfelt recognition and applause for all your efforts.
While I was playing our finale piece (which is quite exciting), I actually felt my entire right arm tingling. I had to take a second to remember that it's the LEFT arm tingle that denotes a heart attack. I was certainly playing with just about everything I had, and the contracting of so many muscleg groups was giving me the shakes!
I mention last entry about changing the names to protect the guilty half in jest. Turns out that my be unnecessary after all. As always seems to be the case on extended band trips, there were plenty of relationship issues that came to a head during the time. New couples, old couples, ex couples, chaste love, sex in hotel rooms, strange friendship dynamics, and a steaming pot of envy; we had it all. I'm sure some of it will get worked over in the weeks and months, since it was such fertile ground for personal reflection.
Anyway, chalk this weekend up in the "Positive Life Event" column. Good stuff.
It was an epic trip. Retroactively, I consider it a fitting reward for dealing with all this comprehensive exam business over the last few months. The band members seem to generally agree that we've got a good thing going. The band has exceptional quality for an amateur unpaid group who rehearses 3 hours a week at a community college.
Because it's composed of lots of people I know, I've always had a hard time realizing where the band fell on the scale of good to intolerable. If I didn't know before, I sure do now. We took first place in the highest division (which the band also won last year) which makes us the de facto best brass band in North America, I suppose.
It's a great feeling to be a part of a group like that. It's even greater when the group that took this trophy has several good friends and a ton of new friends. After all this academic judging in the exams, it's nice to be wanted (and rewarded!) for my ability to perform on my instrument.
It's a great feeling to perform in front of an audience of your peers and have them give you heartfelt recognition and applause for all your efforts.
While I was playing our finale piece (which is quite exciting), I actually felt my entire right arm tingling. I had to take a second to remember that it's the LEFT arm tingle that denotes a heart attack. I was certainly playing with just about everything I had, and the contracting of so many muscleg groups was giving me the shakes!
I mention last entry about changing the names to protect the guilty half in jest. Turns out that my be unnecessary after all. As always seems to be the case on extended band trips, there were plenty of relationship issues that came to a head during the time. New couples, old couples, ex couples, chaste love, sex in hotel rooms, strange friendship dynamics, and a steaming pot of envy; we had it all. I'm sure some of it will get worked over in the weeks and months, since it was such fertile ground for personal reflection.
Anyway, chalk this weekend up in the "Positive Life Event" column. Good stuff.
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