Hope you've been having a good summer and now that we've had a few warmer days at least it felt like summer for a short while. I could make some snide comment about global warming--but I won't. I was happy that the Sailors band camp was pretty moderate in temperature for the kids this year.
We have put together a rousing and exciting show for the band festival (did I mention 10/10?). Here goes:
Opener--we are going to revive the diamond drill again so we will see what the music will be (depending on how many participants we have). For a smaller group we will use B.A.D. Cats from the '80's or for a bigger group (did I mention that the Cassell family will be participating this year--that should about double the size of the group) we will pull out the combination of Gimmie Some Lovin' and Surfin' U.S.A. that we called Gimmie Some...U.S.A. cute huh?!! We may also have a new twist to the entrance, getting to our step 2 diamond line coming from the sideline, rather than the endzone. We'll see how that works.
Majorette Feature-- Dawn chose Takin' It To The Streets for the majorettes. It was a majorette # that the Sailors used two years ago, but we will have to find the music. It's lost.
Reset or down front number--This is going to be Jazzin' . A hot little # that we don't get tired of playing. It and the score are also AWOL.
Flagline Feature--Lee the flagline maven, chose Knock On Wood for her girls. We have this score and the music for this one.
Closer--I'm getting all patriotic on you with one, but I want to do Stars and Stripes Forever with you. It's a great little arrangement by Jay Dawson that I used mid-decade to great effect on the field and in parades and I think it will be fun for us also.
Would all of you who are able (eager and willing) to march in this year's festival halftime show with us please reply to this email and let me know that you'll be marching, if you
Help Save Alumni Participation in the Woolybear Parade
Essentially in Mr. Price's latest e-mail he stated that we won't be doing the Woolybear Parade this year. I personally am not happy about this. This is two years in a row that we have not done the Woolybear parade - so do we have enough people that we can do the parade without him?
We are an organization with a few members that are band directors so we should have someone that can lead the band. We can also always approach Mr. Henry if we have enough volunteers.
The first time I "marched" (we were on the truck) with the Alumni Band was Fish Festival 1994. I played in every fish festival / Woolybear Parade and band festival (well I missed the festival in 94) until 2001. This year will mark 15 years I've been with Alumni band, the festival will be my tenth, and counting parades my 28th performance with the Alumni Band. I'm watching our traditions get cut and cut until all we have left now is the Band festival.
When I started we normally had 20-30 people show up for the Parades, the last Woolybear we did there was less then a dozen. Mr. Burt's students seem to have been the most and stuck around the longest, they also areethe ones that founded the Alumni band. I marched with Mr. Burt for a couple performance (and he was assitant director when I was in HS) - but mostly I marched under Mr. Henry. It seems while I was in Oregon, the fish festival dropped off, and now it seems we are going to loose the Woolybear.
I'm willing to march the route, beg who ever we need to get this going. I need to know who can participate and I'll take it to our president aand director and see what I can do to make this happen. If we march we could easily bring along any majorettes or flag corp that want to come along for the ride.
I figure we need at least 20 musicians of varied types (and I don't want to be the only trumpet player) - Tubas could be an issue, as could anyone need
We have a date for the 2009 Sailor Band Festival--drum roll please--it's going to be on Saturday, October 10th, 2009.
Tah-dah!!! Get out your calendars and circle that date with a bold and colorful marker. Some of us will also need to write in what is happening on that date that we so prominently circled (it's tough getting old). This also means that we will have a music rehearsal on October 3rd from 9-11 AM.
Don't send me your I will or I won't be theres yet. Save that until August and I'll send out a reminder asking whether you can or can't.
Hope all is going well for all of you and I hope many more of you will consider joining us to be a part of this year's Sailor Alumni Marching Band performance.
This year we will need to elect officers (oops--forgot last year) and we will work on getting a better system together to procure our shirts for those who don't have one.
---no, I'm not a grandfather yet--but it will be soon. Send MAH your positive thoughts.
Are you tired about worrying if you are out of practice before you play in Alumni Band? Do you sneak glances at fingering charts through out the day at Alumni Band? Do you live in decent driving distance from Vermilion? Are you able to spare 1.5 hours a week to playing? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the Vermilion Community Music Association wants you.
I talked some of you about it on Saturday, this is a standard e-mail going out so I'm not singling anyone out (though I know at least one person is thinking that I'm singling her out). If I have your e-mail, myspace, or facebook account and I think you live close enough (I might be wrong) I will be sending you this message. Some people I harassed to come to Alumni this year, this will be the only e-mail any of you get unsolicited until at least the spring concert season. I know there are real life concerns and some of you can't truly commit. For those that can't commit the free time, some by and join in a practice. You can come and go as you have free time, if you can't make the concerts or all the practices we understand. This is a venue for you to get back into practice and play, it's not a high pressure environment.
If you need an instrument, contact me and I'll see what loaners we have as a group. I have an extra trumpet and a flute that can be used until you decide if you are going to stay and track one down of your own. The music association also owns some instruments and other members usually have something to loan out or sell cheaply.
For those that don't think they can "hack it", if you managed to play in Alumni, you are more then ready enough to play in the community band. If you can't make the time, but you have a neighbor, a friend, another family member that would find this interesting pass on the information to them - we would be happy to have them to. Just like Alumni band a larger band is always better to p
Reply to this post and fill out the questions to the best of your ability! Some of these questions are for newer alumni. If you can't answer try anyways! I know I'm a geek. Helen Vietmeier is so far our grand winner! ;-)
1. What does B4L stand for?
2. Who were the creators of B4L?
3. What’s the most exciting weekend of the year to a B4Ler?
4. Finish the line: ‘A train’s been through here. How can you tell?’
5. Explain a ‘sneak move’
6. What time is it?
7. What ‘s a B4Ler’s favorite season?
8. What’s the ultimate ‘opener’?
9. What’s the best song by the Association?
10. What’s the difference between ‘8 to 1’ and ‘6 to 1’?
11. What’s a ‘birdie’?
12. Who gets the ‘50’?
13. What does a B4Ler do for a good time?
14. Who wrote Soundpower Fanfares?
15. Who is the ultimate B4Ler?
Bonus: What’s the most important thing about a rareback?
The pics and especially the video are great! The links and video are now posted on the site as well. I wish I could have been home for this, but it was great to be able to at least watch it from this far away!
This is the VHS Alumni Band under David Henry. The VHS Alumni started under Willy B. and has marched at the Vermilion High School Marching Band Festival for 21 years.
The quality of the source video tape is better - later tonight I'll be looking for a better hosting site that may be able show it in better quality.
wha up all marching band members!!! anyone remember the rain in anthony wayne tat about drown us!!! lol i just thought of it and laughed well look me up fellow alumni!
