Thankful For What I Have – Horrified by What Others Do Not Have

It is the night before Thanksgiving and as I sit in my quiet home (cats and dog all fed and now in post-dinner comas) I have time to think about everything for which I am thankful.  This list is the normal stuff:  health, the love of family and friends, a solid paycheck, and a future which seems quite bright.  Unfortunately my quiet evening came to a screeching halt when I caught up with the news in the college band world.

A drum major for the Florida A & M Rattler Marching Band became ill and died Saturday evening after a game.  The cause of death is still unknown but investigators have found that hazing was involved in the incident.

In response, University officials suspended all band and other department ensemble performances during the investigation.  (See article for initial breaking story.) This evening it was announced that long time director Julian E. White (since 1998) has been dismissed.

There is much to discuss here, not the least of which is the distasteful headline that was used announcing Dr. White’s dismissal (see article) but a discussion about the media and their ethics, or lack thereof, is for another day.  In actuality there is no room for discussion on this topic, but rather a statement that has no room for negotiation whatsoever.  When it comes to the UDMB the sentence below, which opens a letter sent each fall to the members, sums it up best:

“Any form of hazing either in rehearsal, on trips, or within groups of the band inside and/or outside of rehearsal time will never be tolerated.”

There simply is no room for it and I follow a Zero Tolerance Policy.  End of so-called discussion.

Band is a place for everyone; Band is FAMILY; Band is a safe and welcoming community for it’s members and for it’s guests.  I am very grateful that the UDMB honors this code of ethics.  I am horrified that other organizations do not.

So as I continue to reflect upon all I am grateful for in this world, my heart goes out to the family of Robert Champion who so tragically and needlessly passed away  Saturday evening.  There simply is no room for hazing, none.

And Just Like That–Another One Done

It was obvious from the smiles around the room, all the glitz and glamour of the evening, and all the conversations that the UDMB had a terrific 2011 season.  Band banquet was on a tear last night!  It seemed as if there was one goal, and only one goal:  must get to the DANCE part!!  People arrived between 6:00 – 6:30.  It was one of the latest starts to the event we have ever had but there was no reason to rush things.  But was people were eating (and we’ll get to the freshmen on that topic in a moment) I felt a sense of “Ok, let’s get this thing started because we want to party!!” in the air.

So it began.  The thank yous, the gifts (can’t decide on loading up the classics when I never took time to read or going starting with Tina Fey’s book as my Kindle indoctrination), the award, the hugs, and the videos all flew by at record speed.  Next thing I knew it was 8:20 and I said, “LET’S DANCE!”  Really!?  But it’s early!!  How did that happen???  I even pulled over the Banquet Folks (Erica and Caitlin) and said we should get together and talk about pacing for the future–people won’t dance for 3.5 hours.  ….apparently they did!

I wish to point out one crazy moment.  As groups were being called up to eat (seniority order) all was going according to plan. People were polite, people were quiet in their approach, people took their time.  And then it was time for the freshmen to get dinner–YIKES!

First, I do believe we had a record number of freshmen at banquet last night!!  Both buffet lines stretched 2/3s of the way across the room and each was a DOUBLE line!  And they were excited–crazy, chatty, happy, insane freshmen!  But the icing on the cake?  I’ve never seen that much food piled up so high on so many plates in my life!  …I’m guessing this year’s Rookie Class (and they are now officially no longer rookies by the way) had a good time.  Cool!

Every year we’re excited for marching band to start.  And every year as the season starts to wind down we can’t wait for it to end–so many other things in our lives that have to get done.  But when it’s over, well–you can’t wait for it start all over again!

Thank you all for believing in what we do folks–you, the members of the UDMB, are what makes Neverland truly special.  And yes, THAT was a great game.

….

….

…..request for next year’s banquet…..can we reissue band camp name tags? I don’t recognize people when they’re all dolled up!

Year 17–Almost in the books….

Tomorrow is the final home game of the 2011 regular season.  A typical season on some levels; an atypical one many others (hurricanes, earthquakes, and more).  As is always the case I became a bit reflective as I drove the lift from the turf complex across the dark athletic fields.  This is a traditional solitary ride for me–I like it that way to be honest.  Me driving a big piece of construction equipment at twilight….ok, it’s a little weird I will give you that.  But for some reason I am able to use the time to be deep in my thoughts about the season that is about to pass into the history books in 24 hours, and about a very special group of seniors.

Anyone who spends countless hours on a football field in every conceivable type of weather doing one of the most physically demanding SPORTING activities known to man has a right to be happy, thrilled, ecstatic that it is all about to come to an end.  And yet every year there are tears in the eyes, if not falling down the faces, of each senior band member.  The realization that a huge part of WHO they are is coming to an end hits, and it hits hard.  Sure there were hard rehearsals, of course there was frustration at times, and yes, there were days you did not want to be out there anymore.  But now, facing “the final curtain,” one finds themselves wishing to be a rookie again; wishing they could do it all over again because it all happened far too fast.  More time, please can we have more time?!

“Regrets, I’ve had a few” is how another stanza of that song goes, and yes, I’m sure every member of the UDMB has had one or two over the years.  But regrets are not what the seniors are focusing on right now.  They are thinking about their first band camp; the first friends they made that they will probably keep for the rest of their adult lives; their first overnight trip sleeping on a gym floor; mixing with UMASS and watching two grown adults (George Parks and I) acting like little kids, each band being embarrassed by their respective director and both directors looking at each other and laughing harder; their lifetime memory of marching in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. and NOT freezing to death; flying to Texas for a football championship game; and anticipating their final regular season performance in Annapolis, MD in 48 hours.

The memories are endless for this year’s UDMB senior class just as they are endless for every senior class that came before and will be for every senior class yet to come.  There is no other organization in college that goes out of its way to provide as many experiences as possible for it’s members–experiences that are not to be had anywhere else on campus.  THAT is my goal, THAT is what drives me, THAT is why I do this year after year.  To see their faces when they are living IN THE MOMENT–there is no greater joy for me.  (I learned that from a dear friend not that long ago.)

So to the seniors and EVERYONE in the UDMB, here is your to do list for the final weekend:

• Make eye contact with those around you and “be in it WITH” them;
• Meet a few new people in band you’ve not met yet;
• Cheer for the team; the cheerleaders; dance team; mascots AND EACH OTHER;
• Thank a Field Staff and Ad Staff member;
• Thank a ROOKIE;
• Hug your friends;
• Thank you parents;
• Enjoy each and every moment of the experience because it only happens once each year.

And lastly, if you’ve learned anything this year I hope it was–

• To love what you do;
• To love each other;
• And to love yourself  - with complete and total abandonment…”in my life, I loved them all.”

A Week Off….WHAT?!

When you do the math–not complicated algorithms, just simple math–as of Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 7:30 PM the UDMB had spent close to 300 hours (out of the annual 600-700 hours) in rehearsals and performances.  This number is actually LOW because time was lost due to the earthquake, Hurricane Irene, rained out rehearsals and what also amounts to a very light performance schedule (unheard of!) this season.

When you consider that a 3 credit course at the University of Delaware requires 42 hours of class time you have to question the sanity of the average college marching band member.  But that post is for another day.  :-)   It goes without saying that the students fulfill their REQUIRED hours for the ONE (1) credit course of marching band by the conclusion of the 4th day of Band Camp.  That alone should make the average person (well…the person who understands what band camp is) tremble at the amount of time a student sacrifices to be part of something bigger than his/herself. It’s pretty mind-boggling to be honest.

It did not take much to arrive at the decision to simply cancel marching band rehearsals for this week.  Why?  The team is on the road for three weeks and due to budgetary restraints the band is not traveling to any away games.  They have been going non-stop since August 17th.  It’s midterm time.  Most of them are already in the throws of fall semester “plague.”   In an effort to assist them with 1) time to get caught up on work and 2) time to heal the staff and I decided to give them a huge break.  A break that is WELL deserved.

One question remains though:  what does a college band director do with a week off?

Here is the list of items that have either already been accomplished or are in the process of being checked off on the To Do list:

• Sleep
• Write more drill for the end of season throw down
• Vacuum
• Laundry
• Schedule Band Camp for 2012
• Catch up on season 3 of “Fringe”
• Acknowledge the existence of my dog and 3 cats
• Consider going to the gym….
• Take a day trip to Wegman’s
• Enjoy a beautiful autumn afternoon on the deck off the family room watching a sunset.

So….is this how academic faculty live?

Enjoy the week off UDMB–the end of regular season is but a few weeks away along with the culminating season performance at the USSBA National Championships in Annapolis.  We will have to wait to see about a post-season however.  If there isn’t one….make the most of every moment we have together because it is all going to race by at rapid speed!

Changes – They Happen

As we head into our fifth home game of the season here at the University of Delaware I have mixed feelings about things.  They are personal yet they revolve around the profession I am so proud to be part of.  UD plays UMASS in football tomorrow and for the first time since the 1990′s the UMASS Minuteman Marching Band will not be in attendance.

WHAT?! you say.  It’s true.  And it’s not for any reason short of budget concerns.  The UDMB faced the same thing last year when we were unable to travel to the northland.  The economy is taking it’s toll on college marching bands all over the country.  The cost to move 300 people for just ONE day can be upwards of $15,000.  An overnight trip can run as high as $25,000.  Remember–you have to feed them too!  It’s expensive, period.

When I spoke with the new band director of the UMMB about coming down and learned that they would not be making the journey I have to admit to disappointment.  This was our sister band. George and I, Thom and Jim, Rah and Fred worked for years to cultivate the relationship between the programs–we would be the unique ones in the country: two college rival football programs whose bands were closer than siblings.  (Well OF COURSE the students would be–all the directors were!)  It did not take long for this relationship to not only develop, but THRIVE.  Let’s face it, have you ever heard of two other college marching bands, their parents and their alumni all traveling to Ireland to perform in two New Year’s events as ONE organization?!

I was looking forward to celebrating the UMASS departure from the FCS to Division 1.  I was looking forward to being host to my old friends Thom Hannum, Colin McNutt, John Leonard, and a host of others.  I was looking forward to showing the new director Tim Anderson our Delaware hospitality and wishing him well as he begins his journey down the road that George Parks left so abruptly.  So I was disappointed.

And yet after thinking about it I came to the conclusion that, once again, things happen for a reason.  In this case a very selfish reason.  The last time the UMMB was in our house was 2009.  The two groups joined together for a massed band performance of “America, the Beautiful” and “My Man.”  George and I got to enjoy being “kids” again–we were able to go back to the way we were when we first met in the Buccaneers:  George on the podium and me playing solo trumpet.  And for a brief moment in time, we WERE kids again.  The two staffs were arm in arm during “My Way” and “In My Life” as were  the two bands.  Swaying and singing together as ONE organization.  …and yes, the UMMB tubas “forked” the front lawn of my house with “UM hearts UD.”  And it was all good and it was as it should have been.

So my mixed feelings are between personal and professional.  My professional side would have liked to play host to my alma mater one last time; my personal side is content with the fact that the relationship between the programs ended as it was meant to in 2009.  And those memories will be cherished by all those who were part of our 16 year relationship–one that I do not believe exists anywhere else in the country.

Will the relationship continue?  That remains to be seen–perhaps yes, perhaps no.  Changes–they happen.

First Third Part II: UD vs DSU – always entertaining

The Route 1 Rivalry has begun and with it a new relationship with a new college band: Del State. We have had bands come in and out of Delaware Stadium for years and the most important part for me is to get the students to appreciate each other’s efforts, and embrace each other’s differences. Del State fit right in line with all the other groups we have hosted,

Haltime was easy–we had chatted a few times prior to the game in order to make sure we had the timing correct so that there would be no concern about when one band as finished and the other would start. In fact, the timing was so tight we were about 30 seconds UNDER time–something almost unheard of! This is a credit to the DSU leadership!

There is no question that DSU knows how to entertain–they did a fantastic job and it was a treat to see the UDMB dancing on the sideline during their post game performance!

Here’s to the next part of the rivalry–a football rivalry but a band co-existence.

PS. The DSU band received a call in the middle of the UDMB post game performance that forced them to depart prior to our completion. This is not unusual and was completely understood by our band. We hope the fans understand they were not being disrespectful with the early exit.

First Third of 2011 – part 1

And just like that 1/3 of the 2011 marching band season has come and gone…WHAT!?  Exactly. It was a whirlwind trip filled with insane Mother Nature (lack of) Appreciation Moments for everyone across this country.  And as I sit about to start catching folks up on the life of all things UDMB it is, once again, raining outside.  ….I suppose that is, indeed, my fault:  ”here comes the rain again.”

The next few posts will be “quickies” that touch upon the 4 performances in September 2011:

• First game:  West Chester and Band Day.  Over 1800 performers were on the field for what we hoped would not be a wash out, and it wasn’t!  This was the first Band Day experience for the West Chester University Incomparable Golden Ram Marching Band and by all accounts they seemed to truly enjoy themselves.  I mean, heck, who wouldn’t?!  You get to stand in a block of 1800 people, play your hearts out, the audience goes crazy after every tune and THERE’S NO DRILL!  Works for me!

More later…as usual, racing out the door….

NEW HOME to SARV BLOG

It seems my lovely hosting service is not allowing me to upgrade my software to that which will provide the most current security for my WordPress.org blog.  So…I went commercial, imported the whole thing and it now resides here.

Please note new web address.  I am map my old domain to it but not for a while….not sure I feel like giving someone else money to use something I already own.  We’ll see what the future holds.

Meanwhile, now that this is up and running I will continue expanding it, customizing it and adding lots of posts about all sorts of things including, of course, the UDMB!

Stay tuned…..

Be Part of Something "Bigger" Than Yourself

“I love watching lots of people doing great things.”  This statement, made by George N. Parks in the documentary Building Power And Class is one that speaks to me on a variety of levels.  Levels that are surface based and levels that reach to the depths of my core that in some ways I struggle with the ability to clearly articulate to others…but I will try. Let us start with the surface of it all.

A group of people working collectively on the same project, pursuing the same goal and all focused on a positive outcome for their efforts is a wonderful experience in which to partake.  Whether it is three people working side by side to assist with cleaning up a person’s basement that was negatively impacted by Hurricane Irene or 320 people rehearsing tirelessly in order to perform an energetic, enthusiastic, exciting, excellent and “en”-tense halftime show for 20,000 people, the process is as important as the outcome for both. Both examples require an organized approach and a commitment to “hard labor.”  Both outcomes result in a feeling of satisfaction in having achieved the goal.  Granted a rockin’ halftime show is much more fun than a dry basement, but a successful outcome leaves one with a strong sense of accomplishment regardless of the task.

The UDMB faced natural disaster after natural disaster at the start of this year’s season.  There was every reason for the band NOT to be prepared by the second football game let alone the first one.  That of course did not happen because of the commitment and dedication of the students and staff. While the surface explanation of the statement is met by these incredible young men and women during every rehearsal and performance, it is the deeper description that leaves a lasting impact upon everyone who comes in contact with the ensemble.

As I sat in the stands last night during the post game performances by both the DSUMB and UDMB I, or course, watched the bands.  But I also chose to watch the audience.  As DSU performed I watched DSU and UD fans alike stand up and dance in the stands.  And of course, the UDMB was rockin’ it on the sideline.  Then it was the UDMB’s turn and again, DSU and UD fans were both clapping along and going crazy by the end of the show.

The deeper meaning of the opening statement of this post is knowing that something as superficial as a marching band show has a lasting impact upon the lives of thousands.  ”Lots of people doing great things” such as bringing a smile to someone’s face and pulling that person “into” the show so they too may share in an experience that focuses “simply upon being in the moment” is a PRIVILEGE–one that I am proud to say I am part of creating.  To bring joy to people lives, to help them put aside their troubles for 30 minutes, to see them smile, clap, and dance—that is being part of something “bigger” than yourself.

 

DCA Weekend – Always Believe

Here I sit on my first weekend “off” since I’m honestly not sure when and my mind started to wander through the memories of my years in the Reading Buccaneers.  1983 – 1990.  Not the best ones for the corps by any stretch of the imagination, but for me they are cherished times that I would never have wanted to play out in any other manner.   …except maybe that 2nd place in ’84 and 2nd place in ’85.  :)

The corps was not very strong in my rookie year but what did I know, I was a rookie!  It was not Matt Krempasky who kept me going, nor, ironically enough, neither was it George N. Parks who kept the fire first burning in me.  It was a baritone player by the name of Chuck Runkle who may have taught me my greatest lesson:  always believe.  No matter what the situation is, give 100% all the time and ALWAYS BELIEVE.  You see every weekend I would arrive at Buc Field and Chuck would look at me, smile and say, “Heidi, we’re gonna win!”

We did not win of course, we placed 5th that year, but it was one heck of a hornline and one heck of recording!  I never gave up and Reading became part of who I was and will always be as long as I walk this earth….or longer, who knows.

1984 & 1985 were also difficult–we did not always believe we would win…and yet those corps were in position to win!  We did not believe it until it was too late and that’s how you lose by 0.45 and 0.65.  Those corps were great however–we just questioned ourselves too much.

1986–a good year, but the slide began.  We didn’t win in ’84 or ’85 and more and more people stopped believing.  1987–perhaps dreadful is the word that scratches the surface.  17 horns at the first winter rehearsal (I thought George was going to cry the whole way home).  He wrote a 4 page letter to every corps alumni that winter trying harder than anyone I had ever seen to get people to believe again, to come back for his final season as drum major and join him in one last epic voyage….it didn’t work.  People had stopped believing.  I do not remember where we placed that year but it was not very high.

1988 & 1989:  George had retired, I joined Darrell Weyman’s side as DM and the corps was not much better than death.  Would we fold?  Would it all end with me at the helm?  No…but it was the hardest job I’ve ever had.  To salvage a ship that is listing in the open waters is difficult by any stretch of the imagination.  Yet somehow we did and Reading survived.

1990, my final voyage: “Batman” – what a year!  We didn’t win but we were a corps who started to believe again.  I was happy to retire after that only because I knew the future looked bright so I could move on.

It took from 1990 until 2005 for the corps to completely believe again.  And that belief in who they are, what they do, and WHY they do it is very strong.  And now, to be looking at a 7th championship in row (2005-2011) is almost unfathomable to most but not to me.  For thanks to people like Chuck Runkle and George Parks, while there may be times when I question my beliefs, I will never truly ever stop believing!

Bring it home Reading—bring it home for yourselves, for those of us who wish we could still be on the sea of green with you, and for those of us who are sailing another sea on the other side.

There be a silent ship approaching that the living eye cannot see. The ship contains a crew of unmatched force, unmatched energy, & unprecedented power. The crew is more talented than any living corps. The captain of this ship dons wild red hair & a scraggly beard. His sword is a mace & he stands on the bridge at full sail. His orders are to hoist the Jolly Roger &d sail toward DCA on the winds of time.

The ghosts of our past will be “fighting” side by side w/my brothers & sisters this weekend. They be proud of ye! We’re all good men….

–heidi