A performer reflects on her sense of accomplishment and finality with her band.
This Saturday night at our tournament, something hit me. This is my last. My last time performing on our home field to a stadium full of people who live and breath band just like me. I realized that there are only four more weeks left. Four more weeks of something that has been my life for four years. It got me thinking about my experiences, and it surprised me–the memories that played back through my head.
I did not think of sophomore year when the sweepstakes trophies were given to us; I did not play back winning music at Arcadia last year.
The memories that flashed through my head were getting soaked at Rose Parade, the crowd response at Arcadia when the confetti went off, being told by a freshman that after her Arcadia performance there was no way she would quit band, waiting in line for KFC only to sprint over to the 99 cents store, getting the biggest hugs after a great show, putting my horn down at the end of a show and thinking to myself: That was amazing.
There is absolutely nothing that compares with the feeling. Freshmen, you’ll know it when you get it. Band has done so much for me, given me more friends than I could have asked for, supplied me with enough memories to last me a lifetime and given me confidence to be myself. I think everyone needs to just realize how fortunate he or she is to be given the opportunity to be part of such an amazing program.
Sometimes I think we all are guilty of letting the competition aspect overshadow the real reason we are here–to be part of something bigger. Each and every one of us adds to the show, and without one of us, the show is incomplete.
Everyone has improved so much this year, and I know I am not alone in saying that I am so proud of how far this band has come. However, it’s not time to stop. We all need to step it up, not to win but to improve, to ensure that when we put our horns down at Mira Mesa, at Vista, and finally at Arcadia, we think to ourselves: That was amazing. Let’s leave every competition with zero regrets and grow in music, marching, passion and spirit.
We have four weeks left, for some of us, four weeks left of what has been our life for the past four years, and for others, four weeks left of what will be their life for the next four years. Keep it up MC; never forget that you are part of something bigger.
