Michelle

That was the greatest site I have ever witnessed while waiting for encore/retreat.

During the uniform fittings at winter camps, the uniform crew usually makes sure the uniforms are a little tighter than what is comfortable for your off-season body. During everydays the uniforms will probably be fitted again, and by the middle of the summer, your uniform will probably be fitted around 2-3 times total. This all depends on the uniform design and the availability of people to hem and sew.

I use a trial-and-error method when it comes to tickets. 1. I check kayak.com to see what's available for where I need to go. 2. I check the websites of the airlines listed to see if it's cheaper than what kayak.com says. 3. If that still looks too expensive, I'll check the price against some airlines that don't show prices on kayak like Southwest airlines. 4. My usual last resort is to see if I can find the tickets I want on studentuniverse.com because that's a great website for college students. If all of the above options seem too expensive still, think creatively. Are there any major cities nearby you can fly out of or into instead? What about taking a bus? Can you carpool to an airport where someone else is flying and see if that's cheaper? I've gotten to camps in many different ways -- it just required some thought and coordination. Sometimes the cosmos just have to align.

Electronic instruments = electronophones Instruments that are struck to produce sound = idiophones Instruments that make sound through the vibration of a membrane = membranophones http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/ap...rumentmain.html

That's my *least* favorite shout out, but Hector already knows that (That was my favorite part of the show all season!)

I march, but I don't post that often because it's hard to find topics I feel I can contribute something meaningful. Instead, I read. A lot.

I found that loan when I was looking for the SAI Summer Music Scholarship application. There are only a select few of those scholarships given out each year, with a $1000 maximum amount. That's not enough to cover everything in drum corps nowadays. I saw that you could apply for more money through the Hazel E. Ritchey Loan Fund. Plus, there's no limit on how much money they loan out besides that $2500 cap. I have to send in four letters of recommendation with my application: 1) Dean of the School (College of Music in my case), 2) Major Teacher (my horn professor), 3) President of the SAI Chapter, and 4) Other Non-Faculty (I'm using my high school band director). I also have to have a cosigner, obviously. As long as I'm a full-time student, I can defer payments until after I graduate. I think it's a good deal because I don't have any other student loans out to pay for school.

Funny you should ask, I'm applying for just such a loan through my music fraternity (http://www.sai-national.org/phil/philhazl.html). Any other active Sigma Alpha Iota sisters are qualified to apply. You can finance up to $2500, which covers most corps dues plus some.

I think the problem with Southwest Florida is the lack of competitive marching bands or development of the arts in general. I joke that if I were to take a summer off, I would have a monopoly teaching marching bands because so few people do it down there. If I go back to teach in the area after I graduate with a BME - Instrumental, I would focus on using the resources of FGCU's new School of Music so that you have a solid arts foundation with private lessons and active clinicians. Then I would work on putting the music ensembles out in the community's eyes to get their support. Eventually that could lead up to building up a strong program with better funding because the community supports your program. As a last thought, I would think about creating more non-school ensembles like a drum corps, independent indoor guard or percussion unit, etc. I think a program will only be as successful as where it's recruiting from. IMO, Southwest Florida still has a ways to go.

This is the book we use for all four semesters of theory and aural skills at FSU: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/music/musictheory/index.html The class before mine were the "guinea pigs" when it first came out. Honestly, I learn more in the lectures rather than reading the book. However, I like that the book does go all the way up until the 20th Century, which is why it is used for Music Theory I-IV here. I give the book some slack because it is in its first edition. At the 2008 FMEA Conference, I went to a "How to Teach AP Music Theory" workshop. The presenter recommended the Tonal Harmony book other people have pointed out. I have seen my own theory professors pull it out on occasion when our standard textbook didn't quite get the point across.

Move in weather was actually much better last year compared to '06. I've done three move-ins in humid, gross Alabama or Florida weather now. That's kind of sad. For me, the worst was the '07 Preview Show at JSU. 4 pm step off on astroturf. What was it? 130 degrees? Yeah, I couldn't play much at all after the opener even after using my inhaler :-/

1) I found out about drum corps through my high school band's drum major. He was playing some loud brass music in the hallway before practice one day my freshman year. I asked him what the heck that was. He said it was Santa Clara Vanguard 1995: Not the Nutcracker. He told me he was auditioning for this group called Magic of Orlando on baritone. He said the World Championships were going to be in Orlando the next summer. I went home and told my mom about this DCI thing. Not really knowing what I was getting myself into, we bought tickets for Finals Night only. I went, fell in love with what I saw, and vowed I would march someday. And kind of off-topic, that same drum major from my HS band went on to win the Jim Jones Leadership Award for Div I in 2005 :) 2) I really could care less about the rule changes. Put saxophones and piccolos on the field for all I care. I'll continue to play mellophone and love my experience. I march drum corps for the people I meet and the life lessons I learn. Instrumentation of the ensemble and other rules like that will never change what I view as the crux of DCI.

I know Oscar. I played with him in the Edison Band my senior year of high school. He's pretty cool, and a great horn player. I know he's worked with some of the bands in Lee County during the marching season.

Holy-freaking-mello book.

I remember that...

I would go to a major city. I'd never been to Washington, D.C. in my life until this past summer when we had a free day there after the Annapolis show. My friends and I managed to make it to the White House and different monuments/memorials in the three hour time slot before heading to the Union Station shopping complex.

Two Florida shows after having none for two years? Sweet.

The summer of 2011 (real age out is 2010), I would already be done teaching for a year. I would find it somewhat creepy if I were eligible to march with my students. Six years of marching World Class really is enough for me.

I don't like a lot of food a food truck makes because I'm a picky eater, especially ravioli and meatloaf. Blech. I also don't like not getting any floor time at some housing sites, wearing t-shirts during meals, and the State of Louisiana. But, I still march.

I honestly don't know anyone who would stop marching because of a rules proposal about instrumentation.

My F Horn straight mute fits in a mello bell pretty snuggly.

Over the past three years, I've found that cell phone usage is usually not permitted until you are done all your corps jobs or the show is over. My rookie year in DCI, I used my phone a lot more than I did the past two years. I only call home if I have to (spending money, perhaps). You're more likely to find me calling a friend or two in other corps to meet up with them after a show. Otherwise, I understand that I only have a certain amount of time with the people in the corps, so I want to make the most of it. I forgot to mention that my cell phone died about two weeks into tour last summer, so my only communication device was when I could call my parents from my seat partner's phone. I don't think I acted much different than I did when I had a phone at my own disposal.

Seeing Capital Trailways buses used by the Troy State Marching Band from Alabama when FSU played them in 2006.

Yeah, universities will usually own subscriptions to various databases like Naxos and Clasical Music Library.

I listen to a bunch of stuff that I sometimes have a hard time admitting such as: Fergie, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, etc. I finally got over my "that's pop and is teenybopper" stage because I that's the stuff I play the most, haha. Older music I used to listen to a lot includes Green Day, Blink 182, Sum 41... and you can see where that goes. I also love disco for no apparent reason other than my dad exposing it to me. I admit to listening to Abba's Greatist Hits more than once in a while. Queen, Meatloaf, Aerosmith, and The Eagles are some more classic groups I like listening to. Of course I listen to classical and big band jazz. I do have a limited collection of horn players I listen to like Gail Williams, your generic Barry Tuckwell, and my horn idol Jeff Nelsen (love my Canadian Brass Greatist Hits CD!). Ceriminaro has that big Conn 8D sound that I don't always like, but I do have his recordings of F. Strauss "Nocturno" and the Hindemith Sonata. I need more horn player recordings.