MONDAY REFLECTION: It’s Tuesday and a week late . . . I guess that most everyone in the band world was back in “camp” yesterday. Although I was fully prepared to do the bragging thing and say something sarcastic like “How’s your sunburn feeling today?”, but then realized that most of my day yesterday was spent thinking about all the great experiences that took place at camp. I truly missed the interaction with the kids and missed watching the freshmen literally grow up during that week. I missed the bonds that were created – some of which are still flourishing. And, I missed the realities of discovering that the show that was so carefully planned – shall we say – needed some tweaking. How many times were we up till two or three o’clock in the morning rewriting music and drill. Ah – the good times! Back in the “dark ages”, camp was not held at school. I so loved the days spent at Camp Keystone, Spartanburg Methodist, and Converse College. There was that magical experience of getting the kids away from momma and daddy, doctors appointments (dentist, orthodontist, church, the list goes on forever), and having that pressure of sinking or swimming on their own. About Tuesday, reality set in for all those still “wet behind the ears” young children. They began to realize that their parents were not going to be there for them. They were TIRED!!! Muscles HURT!!! The thoughts that they had really made a mistake by joining band began to surface. Tears flowed for many. I can admit now that this really bothered me – a lot – but I knew that the maturity that followed would make it worth every tear. Tuesday night was also the time that the upper classmen became leaders. Watching them take care of the younger members . . . PRICELESS!!!! It was on Tuesday that I picked the officers for the next year. It didn’t take a genius to see the kids that became the “rocks” that the rest of the band leaned on. THEY were the ones who instilled in every member that FAILURE WAS NOT AN OPTION. THEY were the ones who gave each band their own distinctive personality. The hard part about being a director was knowing when and how to focus all their newly found passion and not allowing it to become an ego trip or a power struggle. Yes, with the good there is also some potentially bad. Remembering that these great kids are still KIDS was really important. One wrong word could have destroyed the band. I firmly believe that GREAT bands are created in the Concert Hall. Without a great concert program, there cannot be a great marching program. But, “Champions” are created at camp. There is something about that week (or two for some) that builds character, personal discipline, and responsibility in each student. I miss that. Hope your camps go well.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 13:36:13 +0000
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