Six cool band trips!
Five golden means,
Four pep band games,
Three French horns,
A two-headed turtle,
And a piccolo in the key of C.
Yes, I know this is a non-trip year.
Yes, I know the seniors hate me because of it.
Yes, I know I've never taken you overseas.
However, I will now give you my six favorite band trip moments from the last 21 years:
1) EPCOT, 2009 - Getting a standing ovation from the hometown crowd of orchestra and choir students after playing the quasi-Brazilian samba tune, "Rio Con Brio."
2) Boston, 2007 - Scheduling an outdoor performance at Faneuil Hall in April, and having the weather forecast predict 45 degrees and rain. Instead, we had mid-50s, sun, and an appreciative lunchtime crowd of native Bostonians enjoying our concert.
3) Philadelphia, 2005 - Besides a cool performance at the Constitution Center, the real story of the trip was transportation. A band father rented a trailer for all of the band and orchestra instruments as well as all of our music. Unfortunately, his pickup truck died in Pittsburgh, and we had nothing to play at our first stop at a high school. The father then proceeded to do what any self-respecting band parent would do. He bought a new truck in Pittsburgh and drove the rest of the way.
4) St. Louis, 1989 - My very first trip with my very tiny band. One of our gigs was playing along with the entertainment on a dinner boat cruise. The jazz band augmented the backup ensemble and became part of the show. We almost didn't make it, however, because our bassist locked his case and left the key back home. The day was saved when he picked the lock with a fork.
5) Los Angeles, early 2000s - We performed at DisneyWorld and had an excellent clinic at UC Santa Barbara. We also went to a famous rock club to see one of our alums' bands play. One of their songs went into very raunchy lyrics as Mrs. Akers and I sat very uncomfortable between two band parents, an Episcopalian priest and a rabbi. Oh, and the La Brea tarpits were very cool, even though Mrs. Akers kept calling me a geek for thinking so.
6) Seattle, 1990 - This destination was chosen because the students wanted to visit their beloved former band director, Paul Harshman, who spent one year at DHS before leaving for his home state of Washington. I owe him for telling me that he was resigning from DHS and that I should apply for his job. We had a great exchange with his very fine high school band and a clinic at the University of Washington.
Here's to Montreal, 2011!
Mr. B. I notice that you've left off the charter plane fiasco of 2006. What's the deal?! We got so bored waiting for a new plane to Disney that we had ballet class with Becca Crystal, yoga, numerous games of Egyptian rat slap, and marching maneuvers taught by yours truly all in the O'Hare terminal! Hmm... maybe you don't remember this one as fondly as I do. Wonder why, tee hee :-P
ReplyDeleteA memorable moment, yes, but not a favorite one. The students did a wonderful job of dealing with the 10-hour delay, but the adults became very cranky. We also wound up missing our college clinic the next morning. Oh well...
ReplyDeleteWhere is the Disney trip from the year that I went? That's my favourite band trip memory. Even though I don't remember it.
ReplyDeleteThat would have been Disney 1996. Yes, a good trip, but it didn't make the top six. You were a very cute 3-year old, though!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, our evening at the Roxy. I think most of the kids were sleeping at the back tables by that point too. I think that was our senior trip...so 2002?
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