TMEA 2008

This year's TMEA was super fun. It couldn't have come at a better time. I really needed some inspiration to get me through the rest of the school year. I also can't believe that I went the entire trip without taking any pictures. I felt a little intimated after seeing the size of John Mackey's camera - I guess I have camera envy.

I was hoping there would be better clinics this year, but that wasn't the case. I did catch a few that were worth my time and I did learn some stuff. The best part of the convention was getting to hear all the great music. I think I went to more concerts this year than ever before. The highlight of my weekend was listening to the 5A All-State Symphonic Band rehearse. Jennifer and I stopped by a rehearsal because we wanted to hear the latest Mackey piece, Kingfishers Catch Fire. Geez, it was AWESOME. We heard the conductor say they would do a run through of the entire concert Saturday at 11:00, so we made it a point to catch it since the actual concert was at 7:30 that night and we had an 8:00 flight. (We almost missed our flight last year so we could stay and listen to Turbine). The band was amazing and they played a great program. Kingfishers was great. Oh my word, I can't describe in this blog how much I enjoyed it. The All-State bands are huge and I think that only made it better. (The group was really loud at the end of the piece, and just when you think it can't get any louder the horn section stands up and plays insanely high, ya know, just to make sure you get the point. It was awesome). Sitting in that rehearsal was just what I needed to recharge my teaching batteries. All I could think about was wanting to see my current 6th graders sitting in that group some day. I thought about the kids that come in early every morning to practice and always want another sticker on the pass-off chart and how much they like playing their instruments to earn those sparkley star stickers. I had sort of forgotten about how much I liked to play my clarinet when I was that age and how getting to go to TMEA in high school was the culmination of everything I'd worked for all those years. Seeing those kids in their rehearsal took me back 11 years and made me remember why I'm teaching now. I know that sounds so cliche, but I really needed that. All I've been thinking about lately is how much longer I'm going to be able to hold out in the teaching world. Getting to see those kids experience a musical opportunity like the one the had this week was inspiring. And I know that not all of the hard working kids that I teach are going to have the opportunity to play in an all state band. I feel, though, that it is my responsibility as their music educator to somehow bring them other musical opportunities so they can experience the same inspiration that I felt when I was their age and the same inspiration that I feel now. I can't wait to tell them tomorrow how cool it was to sit in that room to watch the best high school musicians in Texas be rehearsed by an amazing conductor and play the spectacular music of a great composer that is sitting in the room with them, guiding their experience and then watch him be moved by the performance as well. It was FUN! John Mackey - your music is awesome and you're super cool. Thanks for helping me recharge.

And I bought a new Newland baton with a pink handle.