Random Thoughts for the end of April
Welcome to the continued documentation of my nervous breakdown.
That’s not completely the truth, although I’ve certainly had my moments…which won’t surprise anyone who knows me. I’m over the top most of the time anyway. In this case, though, I’m living a dream, and I’m desperate to make this experience as amazing as possible for my students.
Yesterday we performed at the Illinois Grade School Music Association’s State Contest. It was our first performance since our Midwest invitation. Kids played great, and the judges were very complimentary. At one point I several days ago I started to feel the burden of increased expectations…even if it was self-imposed. The kids are playing so well right now those fears have subsided. In case anyone is interested, our state contest repertoire was:
Pageant - Vincent Persichetti
Salvation is Created - Pavel Tschesnokoff, arranged by Bruce Houseknecht
Spoon River - Percy Grainger, arranged by Glenn Cliffe Bainum
If I may say so, that’s a great program. We’ll perform the same repertoire this Friday at the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival before preparing some new stuff for our Spring Concert.
PARENT MEETING
We don’t have a formal parent booster group, but it was quite clear that a parent group would be very helpful as we approach the next several months. We had a very nice turnout for our first meeting. I spoke at length about the significance of being asked to perform at the Midwest Clinic…about what it means to me personally and what it means to the program.
Several different Midwest “sub-committees” will form within the larger group:
Communications
Makes sure all pertinent information gets to the people it needs to get to. Publicity, etc…
Fundraising
Coordinate all fundraising activities. Grant-writing. Pursue sponsorships of various costs.
Historian
Document event. Collect and organize everything related to our performance. Prepare written account of Midwest Clinic performance. Keep minutes of meetings
Photography
Photograph event and preparation. Make photos available to families.
Videographer
Videotape everything. Make a video keepsake to be given to all the kids.
Moving
McCracken is closed this summer because of asbestos abatement, we’ll be moving a good portion of our band room to our elementary school.
Food/Social
Arrange a Midwest party for the current Symphonic Band. This group of parents will also arrange meals during our band camp, organize a January band banquet, and organize other distractions from the intensity of our Midwest preparations.
AUDITIONS
Auditions for next year’s Symphonic Band are now three weeks away. Several kids are doing very well, but it’s starting to look like the band may be a little smaller than I had originally hoped. Hopefully, the kids I’m concerned about will start to kick it in gear…they’re running out of tomorrows if they’re serious about making the band this spring.
MIDWEST MEMO #2
The second Midwest Memo deals primarily with repertoire selection and our tentative performance times. It’s always fun to see an envelope from the Midwest office in my box.
I’m really looking forward to the June meeting.
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Posted: April 30, 2006 | PermaLink
Student Entry #4
Nicole, 8th grade, flute and piccolo:
At morning band rehearsal Mr. De Stefano told the band that the Midwest letter might come. As afternoon band practice came close, my friends and I got extremely anxious. We all walked into the band room and saw Mr. D smiling but we didn’t know if it meant that we made it or if it meant that he just hadn’t found out yet. We were all jumping up and down in our chairs and squeezing each others hands until our knuckles turned white. Finally it was time for band to start. Mr. D started read the letter. It went something like this:
Mr. D: Dear Chip, On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to invite you….
Band: YEAH!!!!!!!!!!
After cheering, we were all speechless. After he dismissed most of us because we had to go to a special swing choir practice, everyone exchanged hugs and high fives. When we were out of the band room almost all of my friends and I started to cry. Some people were already crying while we were still in the band room. We went into the girls’ bathroom and through tears of joy and hugs discussed how amazing it was. My tears of joy soon turned to tears of sadness though. We’re all eighth graders and since the conference is in December we won’t be able to play. But one thing we all agreed on is that we were going to go to the conference together. The feeling I got when I found out we made it was indescribable joy, I was going to burst with happiness. I had been dreaming of making it since I found out about it. It was one of the best days of my life.
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Posted: April 30, 2006 | PermaLink
More IGSMA State Contest
Congratulations to the McCracken Middle School’s 7th Grade Swing Choir, 8th Grade Swing Choir, and Symphonic Band. Each ensemble was selected as an “Honors Ensemble” at the Illinois Grade School Music Association State Festival.
This is the 5th consecutive year the Symphonic Band has been selected and the 5th and 6th time one of our Swing Choirs were selected. McCracken’s 11 selections since the State Festival began five years ago are easily the most any school has received this distinction from the state.
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Posted: April 30, 2006 | PermaLink
IGSMA State Contest
Thank you to the many McCracken parents who donated their time and talents to host the IGSMA State Contest this weekend. Everything went extremely smoothly. Hosting an event of this size would not be possible without the wonderful support we received from each of you. THANK YOU!!!!
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Posted: April 30, 2006 | PermaLink
Student Entry #1
From Abigail, an eighth grade clarinetist:
It was April 4, 2006. I was laying near death on the couch in my living room being sick with the stomach flu. I hadn’t gotten off my couch for the past 24 hours. I was watching some stupid show when I heard a loud knock on the door. Knowing I looked absolutely awful I ran to the bathroom to hide while I yelled at my dad to open the door. It was my friend/fellow symphonic band member/neighbor, Rachael, coming to drop off homework.
After a couple of minutes my dad yelled, “Hey Abby! You made Midwest.”
“What??????????” I asked, figuring I was having a sickness related hallucination.
“You made Midwest,” he said again.
“OH MY GOSH!” I yelled.
“What does that mean?” my dad asked, confused about Midwest. He thought that Midwest was the State contest we get invited to every year after District contest.
I explained what Midwest was to him and he (finally understanding) congratulated me. I then called my mom to tell her. Finally I went back to the couch.
About an hour later another friend called me.
“Hi Abby…It’s Nicole, has anyone called you?”
“Ummmmmmm no…” I answered confused and then realizing she was talking about Midwest, but deciding to let her have her fun telling me we made it.
“We, We, We,” she stammered for dramatic affect. “MADE MIDWEST!!”
“Yeah,” I said.
“What? I thought you would be excited!”
“I am!” I told her, “But Rachael already told me we made it.”
“But I asked if anyone called.”
“Yeah I know, but Rachael came over and knocked on my door…she didn’t call.”
“Same difference…everyone was crying.”
“I’m so happy,” I said in a dead tone.
“Okay well bye.”
“Bye.”
After talking to Nicole on the phone I laid back down on the couch. I felt better already, just because of the fabulous news. I couldn’t wait to go to school the next day.
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Posted: April 25, 2006 | PermaLink
Student Entry #2
Ana (eighth grade) plays flute and piccolo:
Almost two weeks have passed since we found out that we made Midwest (if it wasn’t all a dream), so I can’t exactly put my emotions into words quite yet. All I know is that when I think of that moment when we found out we’d been accepted, my heart rate triples, my hands shake, and I have to blink back tears. That probably doesn’t make much sense to you, so I’ll try to help you understand my feelings by telling a bit about the McCracken Symphonic Band’s “journey,” to Midwest.
Last year, when I was in seventh grade, was the first time our band director seemed to believe that we had any chance of making Midwest. From when we recorded our application in February to when we found out we weren’t accepted in April, my peers and I began to understand how much Midwest meant to Mr. De Stefano.
When we found out we didn’t make it, we were heartbroken. There were many hugs that day, and the occasional tear. Although that wasn’t the most pleasant of my days, it definitely got me more motivated to make Midwest this year.
This year, Mr. D. scheduled an overnight trip to the University of Illinois so we could record in their concert hall for our Midwest taping. I had conveniently lost my voice to the point where if I tried to speak, nothing came out, but other than that the recording was a blast. We were feeling good when we returned to Skokie to await the results.
On April 4th, just before the end of the school day, I went into the music room to ask Mr. D. a question. I knew we were supposed to find out about Midwest that week, and he seemed excited about something, so I said, “Oh my God. Did you find out about Midwest?” He smiled and nodded. “Oh my God,” I said again, “You’re not gonna tell me, right?” “Nope,” he said. By this time I was majorly panicking. “Oh my God!” I said one final time, and then I rushed to tell everyone the news. And yes, I say Oh my God a lot. I told my friends and they freaked out even worse than I had. We then ran to the music room for afternoon band, nearly wetting our pants on the way.
We sat squirming in anticipation while Mr. D. read us the sectional schedule, knowing the announcement that would come next. He picked up a letter off the table and read, “Dear Chip: On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to invite you to present a concert at the 2006 “60th Anniversary” Midwest Clinic,” and the room EXPLODED. Whatever else he read was drowned out by screams and the sobbing of a certain friend of mine. Mr. D. went on to say how proud he is of us, how thankful he is to the eighth grade for giving them this opportunity, and many other eloquent, touching words, blah blah blah. He then dismissed the half of the band that had to leave for a special choir rehearsal. We stood up, and I, who barely ever hug anyone for any reason, grabbed onto my friends and held on like I’d die if I let go. We walked out of the room, and all of a sudden everyone lost it and started crying. We walked down the hall to the bathroom sounding like a bunch of abandoned children, but we were smiling like we’d never smiled before.
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Posted: April 25, 2006 | PermaLink
Student Entry #3
Rebecca, eighth grader, horn:
April 4th, 2006. The last bell of the school day rings and my friends and I rush out of class to get to our lockers. We had to hurry up because we had a special choir rehearsal after school.
“Oh my gosh,” I said as I turned to a friend of mine. “We find out if we make Midwest today!!”
I hear a startled intake of breath.
“You’re right!” she cried back, and both of us immediately quickened our pace.
A few minutes later, a group of us rush into the band room. I look up at Mr. De Stefano, our band director, expectantly. Once everybody in the room has gotten seated, he pulls out a sheet of paper. The room goes nervously silent.
Mr. D starts, “Dear Chip: On behalf of the Board of Directors, it is my pleasure to invite you to present a concert at the-”
The whole room erupts in screams. I scream, as many others in the room do the same. I look over at my friend Rachael who has her head bent low over her chair. She looks up for a moment and her eyes are wet and red, while she is sporting one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen. After he finishes reading the letter, the choir people get up to leave. However, we weren’t able to go straight to choir, since most of us were sobbing at the time.
So it ends up with six of us eighth graders in the girls bathroom, hugging and crying our eyes out, while splashing water on our faces, and trying to wipe away the tears of joy.
I turn to my friend Ana and say, “Oh my gosh!!! We did it!!! And we are SO ditching school to go see them next year!!!
“Totally!!!” she screams back.
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Posted: April 25, 2006 | PermaLink
Early Preparations
There’s certainly a lot going on around here. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about placing 50 or so 14 year olds on an airplane to take them half across the country. Here’s what I’m working on. I’ll fill out more details when I know them.
Midwest Parent Committee
This Sunday is the first meeting of our Midwest Parent Committee. Hopefully we’ll have a good turnout. Since we haven’t had auditions yet, I’ve only invited parents of current 6th and 7th grade Symphonic Band members. This meeting will be a lot of me talking, future meetings will certainly be more collaborative. The main purpose of the group will be to handle the non-musical aspects of our Midwest performance so that I can focus on the music.
Instrument Purchase Plan
For several years, we have had an instrument purchase plan in place. The Midwest Clinic invitation has turned our long term plan to an extremely short term plan. We really need to upgrade our tubas and bassoons. That’s my top priority, but we have several other needs as well. Reworking that plan is at the top of my list.
Instrument Upgrades
This needs to be a bigger priority to me, and I’ll probably begin to push parents upgrading their child’s instruments in my first letter to the 2006-2007 Symphonic Band parents.
Summer Schedule
We’re going to meet approximately two hours a week this summer. We’ll work primarily on fundamentals…chorales and scales…tone and pitch, but will also read through a lot of repertoire trying to fine tune our Midwest program. We’ll have some light sectional work and some of the more inexperienced sections will have some intense sectional work.
I’m most excited about the one-week band camp we’re developing. It’ll be an amazing week that will give us a nice kick-start to the year. I still need to find a way to fund it, but that’s for another post.
Repertoire
Our Midwest Program is slowly taking shape. At least as much as it can at this point. The reservation system for repertoire opens up in early May.
Our liaison from the Midwest Board of Directors has advised not committing to any work, publisher, composer, conductor, or soloist until the perfect program is set. I’m anxious to invite our guest conductors, but have managed to stay patient, even though it’s been difficult. At the same time, I certainly don’t want to commit to three or four guest conductors and then later in the summer realize we’re only playing six tunes.
Midwest Memo #1
We also received our first Midwest Memo this past week. There are a small handful of deadlines approaching. Publicity photos, bios, admin information, etc… Looks like I’ll get that new headshot sooner rather than later. The group photo caught me off guard. We can’t really use the photo that accompanied our application…it’s too orange…no really, the lighting in the Palmer House is kind of strange. Hopefully we’ll be able to get and use the group photo that will be taken at the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival in two weeks. Otherwise, we’ll just take care of it at school.
Program
Even I’m not sure why I’m worrying about the program right now. It’s the first impression our audience will have of our band, even if it’s only visual. For all our other conference performances, I’ve always designed our program. For Midwest however, I’d like to hire a designer. I’ve spent a few minutes this week getting various quotes from designers and securing an estimate from our printer.
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Posted: April 22, 2006 | PermaLink
Meeting with Administration
It’s been just over two weeks since receiving the invitation from Midwest. This morning was my first opportunity to sit and talk about the Midwest Clinic for an extended time with my administration. The agenda of that meeting is available here if you’re interested.
I’ve found that one of the most difficult tasks is explaining to non-band/orchestra people why a Midwest Clinic performance is such a big deal. I don’t like analogies…they don’t do it justice. Music is not a sport. Plus, I’m convinced that some (most?) non-music people just won’t get it until they actually see it with their own eyes. For our staff, administration, and school board, I’ve nicely compiled the nearly one hundred congratulatory emails and phone calls we’ve received from throughout country over the last two weeks. I’ll also be giving a presentation at a staff meeting and again at a school board meeting to further try to communicate how significant an honor this is.
One of the things I have done over the years is to bring my administrators to the Midwest Clinic. Whenever the district hires a new administrator, the first thing I do is invite them to spend a day a Midwest with me. So far, the count is up to 3 superintendents, 2 principals, and 2 assistant principals. That may seem like a lot for the last ten years, but it is important that my bosses know what my goals for the program are, and to hear what the best programs in the country are doing. I also never want to be in the position of having to defend my annual attendance at Midwest (that’s non-negotiable to me). Plus, I almost always get at least one free meal out of it.
It was a great meeting, very tough to cram into 90 minutes. Most of the time was centered around adjusting the rehearsal schedule, summer plans, new instrument purchases, maximizing our students’ Midwest experience, and finances. I knew going in that I was asking for a lot, but I left the meeting feeling that our needs would be met and every effort would be made to provide our wants as well.
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Posted: April 21, 2006 | PermaLink
Midwest Parent Meeting
Please join us in the McCracken Middle School Music Room this Sunday at 3:00 for the first meeting of the Midwest Parent Committee Meeting. All parents of current Symphonic Band members are welcome to attend this meeting.
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Agenda items to include:
- Discussion of how big a deal an invitation to perform at Midwest is.
- Organize and select chairs for various committees
- Initial planning and discussion of fundraising needs and activities.
- Discussion of summer schedule and band camp.
- Schedule future meetings.
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Volunteers and chairpersons needed for the following areas:
- Communications
- Fundraising
- Historian
- Videographer
- Photographer
- Social/Food
- Moving
- Chaperone
An invitation to present a concert at the Midwest Clinic is the most prestigious distinction a concert band can receive. Hundreds of bands from around the world apply to perform each year. Only three middle school bands were invited: McCracken Middle School (Skokie, IL), Hill Country Middle School (Austin, TX), and Doerre Intermediate School (Klein, TX).
The Midwest Clinic is the largest band (and orchestra) conference in the world. Nearly 14,000 band and orchestra directors come from every state in the US and more that 30 countries to listen to concerts, attend workshops, and visit the various exhibits.
Preparing for and performing at the Midwest Clinic will be an extraordinary experience for your child as well as an enormous undertaking as well. This is going to be a very exciting several months!
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Posted: April 20, 2006 | PermaLink