Band Life

Band Life

As a student, visitor, teacher or parent walks around campus during breaks, lunch or after school, we hear the chitter-chatter of the teens. Now, Mountain View being the school it is, many of the students are involved in multiple things: football, swim, baseball, band drama, to many to list. But if you listen carefully, many are saying that they practically live at the school, and this is true. With all the time commitments of just one extra-curricular activity, that thing becomes your life and in time, it becomes a second family. Here at the Home of the Toros, my second family has become the massive Toro Marching Band.

Coming in as a sophomore, it can be mind-blowing, auditions at your junior high with some crazy bald man staring you down every second that you play. Then comes the information, two weeks before the last day of school, with fair share payments, requests for working games or braiding hair. And all you are

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thinking through this is: "Ohmygod-ohmygod-ohmygod. What did I get myself into!?!?!".

The Audition results come back, and you got third chair music, thinking, "Ok, not so badÐ'..." until you open the envelope. Pulling out the music, and looking it over, seeing markings and notes that you have never seen before, because your old band teachers had you playing: "Hot-Cross-Buns", and they expect you to have it memorized. Then that phrase comes back, "Ohmygod-ohmygod-ohmygod. What did I get myself into!?!?!".

But with practice throughout the summer the music gets easier, and Band Camp starts to creep up. Up until then, you have no idea who anyone is, your band friends from junior high dropped, and joined JV Football so you're at it alone. But walking into the Pre-Band Camp meeting, there is a sense of comfort, with all the other sophomore band parents in the room, waiting for the bald man to start the meeting. Mom pushes you over to the Juniors, and Seniors, to "make friends" as she calls it. Now, from dads stories of his time in high school, your waiting for them to call out, "SOPHOMORE!!! GET HIM!!!", and you do.

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But instead of them picking you up and shoving you into a trash can upon the mighty hill of doom, they pull you over for introductions.

"Hey bud! What's your name?!?"

"Ð'...JohnnyÐ'..."

"Well Johnny, my name is James, and I'm the Drum Major. You know, the guy up there waiving his arms around. What instrument do you play?"

"Ð'...TrumpetÐ'..."

"Alright!! KATHERINE!! Katherine, this is Johnny. Johnny, this is your Section Leader."

"Hey! Nice to meet ya! I'm the trumpet section leader, but you can just call me god."

So after meeting the Drum Major, and God, you go to sit down with your parents, as the bald man tells the band to shut up. The Monday after, you pack up your things, and get to the band room to leave for band camp. It is scary to leave your parents and go to a college for a week to practice with these

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weird people, but you have to do it, because you got yourself into it.

Getting on the bus to leave, there is no place to sit and you freak out, because you don't know anybody. But then, you hear a familiar voice, ", move over and let John sit next to you!" And there is James helping you get a seat, and after that, everything is just peachy. The rest of the week goes well, but through out the week, there are the Drum Majors and God helping you out. They take you aside and get your marching and playing going at the same time,