Category: The Band Director

Today’s a big day — UIL Region 18 Marching Contest. Might I ask that you think good thoughts for us? Barring rain delays, we perform around 8:45 pm.

If you’re in town, I’d love to see you there.
RRISD Athletics Complex
10211 West Parmer Lane
Austin, Texas 78717
Click here for a map.

Another hectic week has gone by and things just seem to keep getting better and better. The band had one awesome week of rehearsing. They’re really starting to pull it out and understand the work it takes to achieve goals. I’m not sure we’re there yet but we’re light years better than we were a week ago. I’m so glad we’ve had all the folks coming to tech us this week as we’ve had.

First, the football team played Cedar Park on Friday and WON AGAIN! The final score was Stony Point 28, Cedar Park 14. I need to remember to go get the paper today so I can read how surprised that all the area sports writers were so WRONG in their predictions. Happy birthday to Head Coach Chessher with this win! The band did great at the half time as well. They’re hard work is definitely showing on the field. They had some really great moments that even made the “nacho crowd” at the football games stop and watch. The really great thing in that is we weren’t playing to our home crowd. Our game was at Cedar Park. Their crowd was rowdy and didn’t really calm down for their own band’s show but they seemed to love ours. Very gratifying.

The band went to the Judson Rocket Review in San Antonio on Saturday. There were 12 5A bands there and Stony Point placed THIRD!!! I’m so excited for them. It’s been a long time coming but I think they’re really starting to earn a name for themselves. Funny thing is, because the way the contest is set up, we were in a clinic with one of the judges when the awards ceremony was going on. The kids didn’t find out how they did until after all the parents did. It was a great feeling to watch Brian tell them he was sorry they had to miss the awards ceremony, hope they got a lot out of the clinic…oh and by the way, we got third place! LOL. The room went nuts. Good stuff.

Monday, we have staff development all day. I wonder how many kids will come ’round the band hall and practice field to go over what they need to work on on their own. It would be a nice sight. Now, if they do, I hope they don’t over do it because we do have a rehearsal scheduled for 6:30-9:00. I also hope that they don’t relax with their success from Saturday. It was just a preparation contest for Tuesday. That’s the big one. The bands don’t get placed but they get ratings. This group has only once received a 1st division rating…but that year, many bands got 1st divisions (that don’t normally) because the weather was so awful, the judges were very relaxed about what they were looking for. This year needs to be the turn around for the football team AND the band.

Please pray that we get no rain on Tuesday. We want the 1 on our own merits this time. They’ve worked too hard for any gimmes.

Wow, what a weekend it’s been! Friday, we didn’t have a football game because of the UIL 5 day rule and our opponent’s game this past Monday. The game got moved to Saturday at NOON but of course, we had a contest in Brenham at 10 am so that caused a bit of rushing around but it turned out to be just fine because we got there during the 3rd quarter to watch the team WIN THE FOOTBALL GAME!!!!! Go Tigers!!!!!!!

Cathy came up and went to eat with some of the band folks and that was fun. Today is the annual Sunday staff meeting after Blinn to decide what we can work on this week befor our last two contests next week. We are so close to getting a 1st Division at UIL that I can taste it. I hope the weather holds up this week and doesn’t rain out our rehearsals. We’ve got so many great people coming out to help…..

You know, I’m tired. I must be getting old or something but I honestly don’t remember being this tired a year ago. Maybe the adrenaline from the new job kept me from being as tired or something. Getting up at 5 a.m. for 7 a.m. rehearsals seem to come all too quickly! Then again, I’ve had a few extra evening work obligations that have kept me from getting to bed when I’d like so I guess that doesn’t help.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. I wake up in the mornings wishing it was Saturday or Sunday and I could sleep in but as soon as I get to work and the kids make me laugh and smile, I’m re-energized. It’s amazing how true the statement is about how you can’t help but become happy when you smile.

The kids are working very hard. I find myself nagging at them but it’s because I want them to have what they want — success. What is success in our world? For most people (including me to an extent), success during marching season means earning a 1st Division rating at UIL Region 18 Marching Contest in October. Who decides if we’ve earned one or not? 3 random Texas band directors that have gone through a process to become judges. There are specific criteria that we must meet but since they’re artistic qualities, it’s very subjective. This is the success that helps us keep our jobs.

What is the rest of the definition of success for me? That they come back for more. That they’ve learned something along the way. We’ve already achieved that. We do bits of that every day. This is the success that keeps me coming back for more.

I guess I should get some sleep tonight…today was a good day!

Sorry I’ve been a bit out of touch lately. I’m full force into my “Band is Life” stage. It lets up after this week, but just a bit. Actually, the schedule just gets a bit more regular. Hope all is well.

OH, we have a car wash happening in the North Austin/Round Rock area this Saturday. 7 sites to be specific. If you have friends/family in our area that could get their car(s) washed, please have them bring their cars by. I’ll post locations here when I post them to the band website, hopefully tomorrow. We’re trying to wash 1000 cars and raise $10,000 in a 1 day car wash. Thanks for your support!