Concert Time!

In 8 days from now, my Spring Concert will be done and over with...

It is a shame, because you would think that the Spring Concert would be the highlight of a music teacher's year, as it is one of the culminating events. But, it is a lot of pressure: pressure that the students will perform well, and pressure that everything will go okay. Right now, #2 is more of an issue for me...

This is the first year where I am pretty confident in my student's performances, especially the Intermediate Band. I originally programmed three selections. When we had them all down a few weeks ago, I added a 4th, and that is now concert ready as well. I am also confident in the Beginning Band as well, although, they are admittedly easier. I am working out of Bruce Pearson's Standard of Excellence series with them. I pretty much picked two exercises that sound good, and then we repeat them, with each instrument section playing each time. Also, the Beginning Band isn't exactly supposed to sound good. They just need to sound better than they did at the Winter Concert, which they do. The Advanced Band is a different story. This group is the group that started with my predecessor, and still don't see the same vision for the band that I do. I have a lot of problems with attendance, and just with a general not-caring attitude. I programmed music that was a little challenging for them, thinking they might actually learn something. We will be okay, but only with some finger-crossing. At least two of my three groups are ready.

The logistics is the hard part. I just realized this weekend that my concert is in a little over a week. It will be one week from tomorrow. I made a short list of stuff that I could possibly get done at school today, and did actually finish it. But, I still have to: make the concert program, put in all of the necessary maintenance requests, move all of the equipment down to the stage, coordinate with the teachers on duty that night so that all of the 100 students in the band/chorus program are supervised, make sure the booster club is ready for the bake sale, get awards for the 8th graders, and I am sure a load of stuff I haven't even thought of yet.

And WHEN EXACTLY DO I GET THIS STUFF DONE?!? One 40 minute prep a day is not enough. I do get an hour lunch, but #1, I need to eat, and #2, I rehearse my bands during lunch. I also hate to stay late at school, because it means less Maddie time. So, basically, I just cram as much work into every free moment, and hope it all gets done before next Tuesday.

Oh, I can't WAIT until next Wednesday. So much pressure will be off. Of course, I still have a field trip, a 50th anniversary celebration (involving a school-song writing project--I better get started on that soon), and involvement with the spring musical...

Only 35 more school days. Only 280 more periods. I will only see most of my classes 5 more times.

Only 50 days 16 hours 56 minutes and 30 seconds till Summer Vacation!