AHHHH Blue Stars!
Why are the Blue Stars associated with such painful rehersal memories??
The one that I remember in 81 was a brass exercise. From what I recall it was called a five, or ten minute drill and went something like this;
-Horn line in an arc
-The "drill" takes 5 or ten minutes, I forget which one
-Mark time high leg lift
-Long tone for two bars, rest two bars, staccato tonguing for two bars,rest two bars. Move chromatically until the time is up.
-ANY, I mean ANY mistake (that included feet below knee level) and the time would start over.
I forget who came up with this one, it might have been Don Hill or Pierre, but it was deemed to be a "chop builder" and always took place at the end of rehersal.
Ouch
Mark