my thoughts on a quiet bus ride across Iowa:
Don't let me forget who I am
And how I got here
And let me pull through
Bring me to the place
Where I need no comfort
Or safety
Because everything I need
Is in you.
Help me find a way
To show these people
What really matters, Bo
And show them how much I love them
And help me to love myself
Maintain the slightest bit of dignity
But throw my silly self-perception out the door
and away.
Don't let me forget who I am
And everything I've been through
Show me how to leave my comfort zone
Show me how to be
The perfect servant
And what you intended for me
Thank you for the music
That brought me here
And keeps me here
Tying me back to my past
And driving me towards my future
Let the music show me
Who I really am.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
On Tour!
I'll keep this short, because I don't really have much to say, and because I don't want to be rude to the nice family that is letting me use their internet.
Tour is nice. It's both fun and stressful to put on a show every day. some host families are really interesting, but so far I've only gotten the really nice ones.
I miss everybody. A lot.
And I miss my home town. I miss Des Moines.
Our show is a lot of fun, and I can't wait for every single one of you to see it. I think we do well and we keep improving.
It's frustrating not to have individual practice time with my instrument any more. I'm always either performing, or running through things for a performance.
The people here are great. And the level of musicianship is awesome.
Yesturday was a rec day and we went to a water park. Storm Lake is so pretty and it reminds me of Okoboji. because I won't be visiting Okoboji this summer.
*tear*.
overall this has been a crazy positive experience.
that's it.
Tour is nice. It's both fun and stressful to put on a show every day. some host families are really interesting, but so far I've only gotten the really nice ones.
I miss everybody. A lot.
And I miss my home town. I miss Des Moines.
Our show is a lot of fun, and I can't wait for every single one of you to see it. I think we do well and we keep improving.
It's frustrating not to have individual practice time with my instrument any more. I'm always either performing, or running through things for a performance.
The people here are great. And the level of musicianship is awesome.
Yesturday was a rec day and we went to a water park. Storm Lake is so pretty and it reminds me of Okoboji. because I won't be visiting Okoboji this summer.
*tear*.
overall this has been a crazy positive experience.
that's it.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
C.I.U. 4
my fourth update on the marvel that is Celebration Iowa Rehearsal Camp.
The Luther Campus is so beautiful. I love it here.
It's Sunday, so we were allowed to sleep in, if we choose. I went to Church. It was a Lutheran Church, but not at all like my church at home. I'm glad that it was different. I enjoy contrast.
I discovered the track here and have gone running a little bit. I always forget how much I love it until I have a lot of bottled up emotions that all get released when I run. Running on a track is different from running around my neighborhood, but I like it because you don't have anything to distract you and it's harder to keep track of how far you've run. It's better that way. All the same, I'm getting sick of making left turns.
We've gone through all three of the vocal sets. Right now we're working on the Broadway set, which has a lot of problems in the band arrangements. The British set had some problems too, but I think we fixed them more quickly. The British set is still my favorite, but Broadway has its moments.
Guess what we worked on in improve class yesterday.
Impressions.
yeah. I'm serious.
anyone from 7th hour jazz class would know what I'm talking about.
It's still weird for me to play the 3rd trumpet part. They're always telling us to listen up to the lead, which I'm perfectly fine doing, but I'm just not used to it. I feel like I really stick out of the sound sometimes. This is probably the tightest band I've ever been in, so whenever I screw up it's really noticeable. On the other hand, when no one screws up, we end up sounding really good.
I wonder how often the average band member makes a stnank.
The Luther Campus is so beautiful. I love it here.
It's Sunday, so we were allowed to sleep in, if we choose. I went to Church. It was a Lutheran Church, but not at all like my church at home. I'm glad that it was different. I enjoy contrast.
I discovered the track here and have gone running a little bit. I always forget how much I love it until I have a lot of bottled up emotions that all get released when I run. Running on a track is different from running around my neighborhood, but I like it because you don't have anything to distract you and it's harder to keep track of how far you've run. It's better that way. All the same, I'm getting sick of making left turns.
We've gone through all three of the vocal sets. Right now we're working on the Broadway set, which has a lot of problems in the band arrangements. The British set had some problems too, but I think we fixed them more quickly. The British set is still my favorite, but Broadway has its moments.
Guess what we worked on in improve class yesterday.
Impressions.
yeah. I'm serious.
anyone from 7th hour jazz class would know what I'm talking about.
It's still weird for me to play the 3rd trumpet part. They're always telling us to listen up to the lead, which I'm perfectly fine doing, but I'm just not used to it. I feel like I really stick out of the sound sometimes. This is probably the tightest band I've ever been in, so whenever I screw up it's really noticeable. On the other hand, when no one screws up, we end up sounding really good.
I wonder how often the average band member makes a stnank.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
C.I.U. 3
this one might be kind of short because I'm really hungry for breakfast.
The only day we have to sleep in is Sunday, where rehearsals start at 12:30pm. I didn't sleep in because I went with a couple of others to a church in Decorah. It was interesting.
Yesterday was '80's day. a lot of people went all out for it. especially the singers. My room-mate put my hair up in a side pony-tail.
Yesterday was also our first performance. We played 45 minutes of music for the middle schoolers from Dorian Music camp, which is also at Luther this week. Our director says that it was a better first performance than they have had in years past. So that's a good thing.
Yesterday night I went running on the track. It was my first time running since I've gotten here. That's a good thing.
So, ever since I've gotten here I've been really addicted to facebook, getting on at every opportunity. Yesterday, I'm proud to say, I went the whole day without getting on at all. Go me! I'm breaking the addiction.
Did I mention that we have to stretch with the singers in the morning? It can be anything from yoga to an ab workout to a dance. Some of the band people don't like doing it. I could go either way.
That's it for now.
*peace*
The only day we have to sleep in is Sunday, where rehearsals start at 12:30pm. I didn't sleep in because I went with a couple of others to a church in Decorah. It was interesting.
Yesterday was '80's day. a lot of people went all out for it. especially the singers. My room-mate put my hair up in a side pony-tail.
Yesterday was also our first performance. We played 45 minutes of music for the middle schoolers from Dorian Music camp, which is also at Luther this week. Our director says that it was a better first performance than they have had in years past. So that's a good thing.
Yesterday night I went running on the track. It was my first time running since I've gotten here. That's a good thing.
So, ever since I've gotten here I've been really addicted to facebook, getting on at every opportunity. Yesterday, I'm proud to say, I went the whole day without getting on at all. Go me! I'm breaking the addiction.
Did I mention that we have to stretch with the singers in the morning? It can be anything from yoga to an ab workout to a dance. Some of the band people don't like doing it. I could go either way.
That's it for now.
*peace*
Friday, June 13, 2008
C.I.U. 2
Blegh...i guess it's high time for another celebration iowa update.
this week has been full of ups and downs. I was really homesick for a couple of days, and i got a little overwhelmed with all of the rehearsals, but now I think I'm pretty happy. In my last update I believe I mentioned that time moves slowly and the days crawl by. It's totally the opposite now. I feel like the past two days have gone without me barely noticing. The first two days felt like a year, and now I can't believe that I've been here for a whole week!
At first it was really weird for me to be on the Trumpet 3 part, because I play lead at home. Someone who's never played lead trumpet in a big band can't understand how much of an adjustment that is. Now i think i'm learning to deal with it. Kevin actually gave me the lead part for one song ("Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"!), because he figured both of our lead players would be really tired and need a break. It felt so good! thank god it doesn't go that high.
We play a lot of Frisbee during our breaks, which I am absolutely incompetent at, but all the practice has got to make me improve a little bit.
For those of my friends who like British stuff like the Beatles, the Police, and the Rolling Stones, you guys really have to come see one of shows. Our final set is called "British Invasion" and it is so much fun to play, I can't even describe to you. I can't wait until we get to rehearse it with the singers.
"Every little thing she does is magic"....that song is forever in my head.
which isn't a bad thing.
;P
this week has been full of ups and downs. I was really homesick for a couple of days, and i got a little overwhelmed with all of the rehearsals, but now I think I'm pretty happy. In my last update I believe I mentioned that time moves slowly and the days crawl by. It's totally the opposite now. I feel like the past two days have gone without me barely noticing. The first two days felt like a year, and now I can't believe that I've been here for a whole week!
At first it was really weird for me to be on the Trumpet 3 part, because I play lead at home. Someone who's never played lead trumpet in a big band can't understand how much of an adjustment that is. Now i think i'm learning to deal with it. Kevin actually gave me the lead part for one song ("Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"!), because he figured both of our lead players would be really tired and need a break. It felt so good! thank god it doesn't go that high.
We play a lot of Frisbee during our breaks, which I am absolutely incompetent at, but all the practice has got to make me improve a little bit.
For those of my friends who like British stuff like the Beatles, the Police, and the Rolling Stones, you guys really have to come see one of shows. Our final set is called "British Invasion" and it is so much fun to play, I can't even describe to you. I can't wait until we get to rehearse it with the singers.
"Every little thing she does is magic"....that song is forever in my head.
which isn't a bad thing.
;P
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