Every great winter guard show has a great beginning.
Some start off simple, with the quiet elegance of dance, some hit the ground running, maybe with an ensemble moment that jumps out at you, and others find a place in the middle....all depending on the music, the meaning, the vision.....the show.
I am here at the beginning...the beginning of my blog that is solely devoted to my passion - Winter Guard.
To start out, I would like to give a little back ground about myself and tell you about my parents. They were the ones who started me out in life teaching me to love band, color guard, and just music in general. They are one of the reasons why I am where I am today.
First, my father was a band director...he was one of the greats. He worked at just a couple high schools before settling down and clocking in 21 years at the school where he eventually retired. He took a small street only band and transformed them into one of the most competitive bands (their size) in Missouri. His band often, and later in his career-always, competed up a class. He didn't think it was enough to win first place against the bands his size, he wanted to compete against an even higher class. This often put his band face to face with schools twice their size and units only marching 10-12 or 11-12 members. Never the less, he came out on top.
It was his drive, his competitiveness, his determination for excellence that I carry in my heart every day. He truly believed that if EVERY MEMBER contributed with their best (where other band would have "dead wood" as my father would call it) then they couldn't be beat. No one could be lazy, no one could take a break, no one could be weak in his band. Every day they would work hard and "work smart" to be the best and to beat the best.
If you were someone who made it through all 4 years of his marching band program then you came out saying "If I can make it through that, I can do anything" and it was true. My sister and I have heard countless former graduates come back to tell my father that it was marching band that prepared them for the real word...not any other class or experience they had in high school.
You see, my father was not just a band geek. He actually went to college and played basketball. He was a jock and a really good one as well. He has lived in both worlds, the athletic arena and the fine arts circle. I truly believe that is why he was so great. He was able to mold his aggressiveness and competitiveness from playing sports with his class and sensitivity from music to make who he was as a band director. He had traveled from both universes and taken the best from each.
Some start off simple, with the quiet elegance of dance, some hit the ground running, maybe with an ensemble moment that jumps out at you, and others find a place in the middle....all depending on the music, the meaning, the vision.....the show.
I am here at the beginning...the beginning of my blog that is solely devoted to my passion - Winter Guard.
To start out, I would like to give a little back ground about myself and tell you about my parents. They were the ones who started me out in life teaching me to love band, color guard, and just music in general. They are one of the reasons why I am where I am today.
First, my father was a band director...he was one of the greats. He worked at just a couple high schools before settling down and clocking in 21 years at the school where he eventually retired. He took a small street only band and transformed them into one of the most competitive bands (their size) in Missouri. His band often, and later in his career-always, competed up a class. He didn't think it was enough to win first place against the bands his size, he wanted to compete against an even higher class. This often put his band face to face with schools twice their size and units only marching 10-12 or 11-12 members. Never the less, he came out on top.
It was his drive, his competitiveness, his determination for excellence that I carry in my heart every day. He truly believed that if EVERY MEMBER contributed with their best (where other band would have "dead wood" as my father would call it) then they couldn't be beat. No one could be lazy, no one could take a break, no one could be weak in his band. Every day they would work hard and "work smart" to be the best and to beat the best.
If you were someone who made it through all 4 years of his marching band program then you came out saying "If I can make it through that, I can do anything" and it was true. My sister and I have heard countless former graduates come back to tell my father that it was marching band that prepared them for the real word...not any other class or experience they had in high school.
You see, my father was not just a band geek. He actually went to college and played basketball. He was a jock and a really good one as well. He has lived in both worlds, the athletic arena and the fine arts circle. I truly believe that is why he was so great. He was able to mold his aggressiveness and competitiveness from playing sports with his class and sensitivity from music to make who he was as a band director. He had traveled from both universes and taken the best from each.
I am a lot like my father. Those who knew him when they see me around a marching band or color guard don't even have to ask...they know I am his daughter and I take that as a complement every time.
My mother plays a big part in this story as well, but that will have to be my next post.
This blog is to tell my story about my love for this Sport of the Arts. I hope that if you share in this passion that you can follow along in my journey. Maybe be inspired, share in joy and defeat, or find new ideas.
My mother plays a big part in this story as well, but that will have to be my next post.
This blog is to tell my story about my love for this Sport of the Arts. I hope that if you share in this passion that you can follow along in my journey. Maybe be inspired, share in joy and defeat, or find new ideas.
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