On this previous Wednesday, we had our last Band Concert of the year. It was fun to play our songs so well. We did five pieces total, two of which featured our Trombone and Trumpet sections respectively. They were really fun to perform, even if they were easy/boring for the rest of us. When we played "Trombones on the Run" everyone stood up and kicked while Mr. C played the drum set- it was hilarious, and I was barely able to play because I was laughing so hard! We've joked that the song should really be called "Sacbuts have the Runs" because 'sacbuts' is what trombones were called way (WAY) back in the olden days. Haha, it's a pretty great name in my opinion! We then played the ever classic "Buglers Holiday", and as Mr. C. said it, the French Horns had to put the 'Pa' in the 'Umpa' ;) haha that's offbeats for you non music folk, but no matter how much you try to make it sound fun, offbeats stink royally. Our other three songs included "Children's March" by Percy Granger, "Rest" by Frank Tchelli, and "Slava!" by Richard Burnstein. It took me a little while to get into "Children's" because of it's repetitive nature, but once we started to REALLY play it, I loved it. I guess that's true about any piece of music you play, or, at least about most of them. "Rest" is a wonderful piece. I got to play 1st horn on it! That song, when played correctly, brought people to tears. Our last song, "Slava!" was a BLAST. It's a roaring vaudeville style song with great solos and a lively 7/8 section. At the end, we yell SLAVA as loud as we can. At the state competition, David, our band president said it a beat early! haha it was great to create new memories, but poor guy! He was pretty humiliated, but none of us care of course, we all support him.
We have a tradition in the band to give out awards and gifts to Mr. C and the group before we play our last song, and this year, it was especially great. We gave him tons of funny inside-joke-ish gifts. For example, us French Horns gave him a loaf of French Bread and Airheads with a card that said: "Thanks for everything! Here's some "french horn" bread from your favorite airheads". and the low brass section gave him a giant spoon because he has to spoonfeed them their music more than anyone else :) There were tons more, but I think you get the gist of it. I got to give Mr. C a photo album of all the things our band has done this year. I was glad to see him so proud of it! It's been amazing to be the Band Historian this year, I love it. I got an award for getting a Superior rating at state solo and ensemble. :) We also gave out a few awards to kids in the band for other things too. It was funny that many of my best friends got these awards! I even got one too :) My award was "Big and Loud" haha because there have been many occasions when I've played so loud that the other french horns (and band) have been told to play louder. Mr. Campbell even used my loud playing as a time to teach the boys about marriage saying something along the lines of: "You will always be following behind an amazing woman, but you should at least try! and you've got to support her" haha! referring to when I stopped playing at a part and you couldn't even hear the supposedly fff part the french horns were playing. :) We gave Mr. C a gift card and flowers to give to his wife because he's been working so hard lately, and they totally deserve a date night!
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| Is that a fat joke? ;) |
Now onto something that amazes me and still hasn't really sank in: I MADE MADRIGALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha! On Thursday, my mom and I had a wonderful conversation about how I should do Mads. She really inspired me to be who I want to be and to fulfill my dreams of living the music. She ended the conversation by saying: "clean your room, okay?" Well, rumors had been circulating that the Madrigals weren't aloud to kidnap people in the early morning anymore, but there was another that said they'd do it on Friday morning. My alarm went off at 4:30 so I could get ready for early morning seminary, and I was wide awake within seconds. I snoozed my alarm and tried to make myself go back to sleep so I could be kidnapped on at least a little more sleep. I told myself that they'd be there around 5ish logically, and that maybe I should get ready so I didn't look like a slob all day, but instead (and perhaps stupidly now that I think about it) I simply put out my clothes for the Orchestra Festival, packed my backpack, and went back to sleep. I wandered in and out of sleep as my heart pounded, hoping that I'd soon hear a car door slam, but telling myself that I'd still be grateful and excited for next year if I didn't make it into Madrigals. Finally, I heard a van door swoosh closed, and a hurried knock on my front door - THEY WERE COMING!!!! :D They came into my room and I sat up with a smile from ear to ear. Without even letting me take out my retainer, they put a HUGE sharpie-decorated shirt and a cape-like Pancho-ish patriotic towel over my head, and tied a blindfold over my eyes. Speaking with terrible Spanish/German accents, Katyln, Maddie, and Jackie led me down the stairs and out my door, with my mom giving them all the junk that I needed for the day. I hit my head trying to get into the van, and still smiling heard girls around me asking who I was- they were obviously blindfolded too- and before we could answer screams of "SILENCIO" were shouted at us from the front seat. Spanish talk shows and music blasted from the speakers as we whirled through the city and picked up one more girl. Soon, we reached our destination, and scared for our lives after nearly dying via crazy driving we cautiously excited the vehicle.
Here's where it gets especially interesting. I could hear screams, shouts and laughter all around me as I was guided, bare footed across a parking lot. Someone, I think Amy Whiting told me to jump into her arms as she put my arms around her neck, and I found myself being passed to and from a few more men-like builds before being lowered/dropped to the ground on my back by probably-blindfolded bases. I was helped up, and asked if I wanted Orange Juice. Smartly, I answered "NO!" and clamped my mouth shut. I was guided under a chain and onto a grassy hill. I slightly lifted up my blind fold and saw new and old mads everywhere running and screaming, the new each blindfolded and looking rediculous. It was a VERY quick peek, but one of the old mads caught me, and they poked me gently-ish with a foam baseball bat and sprayed lime juice into my mouth while I laughed- it was DISCUSTING, and I started to panic. I had no idea what that stuff was!!! I spit and tried to swallow and do anything to get the awful taste out of my mouth. I felt, smelt, and heard myself being sprayed with silly string, and worried even more that it was the probably toxic string that was in my mouth- but a girl soon laughed and said: "don't worry! it's just lime juice! we're not trying to poison you!" Which, although appriciated, wasnt exactly comforting. They then pushed me towards someone and told us to start dancing- we had eachothers hands and just waved them back and forth, but were repremended loudly and my hands were placed around his sholders as I felt his hands around my waiste- talk about awkward! Luckily, I found out that it was Ammon, one of my band buddy sophomore friends, poor kid. Someone pushed him over (accident?) and we were told to spin in circles. Fearing punishment, and trying to be cooperative, I did..... and slipped down the hill and right into a tree. Still not very happy about that one, but whatever, I laughed and said I was fine when people asked me if I was okay. I have to wonder that if I had started shouting bad things at them if they would have stopped then, but of course, I didn't, and the fun continued. More commands were shouted telling us to dance, and we did. Of course it was followed by insults from voices I sadly recognized saying : "You call that dancing!?! DANCE!" After some more of that kind of stuff and dancing with more awkward partners, they led me back into the van with the other Alto 1s. When again we tried to talk, we got more "SILENCIO"'s, haha and one girl, Hannah, I think told them to "BE NICE!" Sarah Beynon responded with, "um, did you just tell your kidnappers to be nice?" Yes, yes we did. So, when we reached our "destination" we all tried it, telling everyone we came in contact with to "be nice". We were led inside a house and lined up next to each other. Then, they told us to sing the National Anthem. They didn't even give us a note to start on! Then we were screamed at with "you suck at singing!" "HARMONIZE" "You call this good?". I couldnt even hear the person right next to me singing because they were so loud! Why, I couldn't hear MYSELF singing they were so loud! I have to admit, it made me pretty angry. I tried to say it was just fun and stuff, and it was, but it was also pretty lame that they were so rude. We were FINALLY aloud to take off our blind folds, and they cheered for us, but it seemed like all of us were so overstimulated and terrified that no one could do anything. With as early in the morning as it was, and with how not-exactly-fun it was, we could barely speak. Not to mention I was still wearing my retainer and couldnt see ANYTHING because I didn't have my glasses. I eventually was able to go out to the car and get them, and that made everything much better. But it also definately increased my selfconciousness... what with my retainer, glasses, no makeup, crazy hair, and fabulous outfit, I felt awesome. Especially because I was around those people who no matter what they do still look fantastic. But, deciding I might as well make the most of it all, I ate a delicious breakfast and had fun talking to my friends about how fun next year is going to be! It made me mad again though when we were talking about everything that happened to us that morning. Some of the tennors had to wear dresses, not exactly perfect for your self-concious sophmores. The Tenor 1s got thrown in a pool and rug burned in the back of a suberban without seats. Overall, the whole thing was a little bit MUCH. And we can just be grateful that some of the football players who are in the Mads were'nt able to show up. I know that next year I won't let us do anything like this to the new Mads. But I don't want to make it seem like i'm angry at the Mads this year! I love them, but they were just a little stupid. Not necissarily my wonderful Alto 1 mentors, but especially the boys. But what can you do? haha, It definately was a day to remember! I'm really grateful for the good food, and on the way back we got great advice too. I didn't mean to make this paragraph sound negative, I really AM grateful to the Madrigals, and I guess it WAS pretty fun in an exciting and slightly terrifying sort of way! :) I'm a strong believer in that anything can be good if you want it to be and have the right attitude! hehe. I good some good memories to tell my kids, eh? Here's some pics to help you invision the fun:
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| It takes skill to get my hair like that!!! Or, was it lack of skill? |
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| Us Alto 1's being kidnapped! Just missing Maddie and adding Faith |
I'm really really really looking forward to being able to meet and have fun with the great girls in my section and in Madrigals next year as a whole. :) I think what I'm most excited about though, is the music. I can't wait to express my testimony of the Gospel even more through music. I love singing, and I'm exctited to learn under one of the best choir directors in Utah. I can take what I learn next year with me for the rest of my life. I can't wait to be able to lead and grow next year! It's going to be wonderful with Band AND Choir. Not to mention i'm going to be a SENIOR. I dont think that any of these things have fully hit me quite yet.
Later that day, I got to go to the State Orchestra Festival with my friends. Emily and Abby both played AMAZING solos! They're so good! It was CLEAR down in Salem Hills, but it was nice to miss a day of school and be with friends. I got to read one of my friend's amazing book, and I got a little math done. AND the orchestra got STRAIGHT ONES!!! thats a Superior rating! They were amazing!
The rest of that day was great. I got to crash at my house, then crash at my friend Rachel's house. It was nice to be able to have a DELISH dinner there- Emily's special: Lemon Chicken and Garlic Alfredo Noodles. Then, we watched one of the best movies ever, Pride and Prejudice! haha Rachel and Bre had never seen it before, but I think we can all agree its one of the best movies of all time to watch whenever, and especially when you're sick or needing a girls night. ;) I'm really grateful to my good friends who always take care of me and believe in me. They're so supportive, and I know that my life would be SUPER different without them. I'm really REALLY REALLY grateful to my family too. My Dad was soooo excited to hear that I made Madrigals and am carrying on the Hill family tradition. I'm so grateful for his support! :) My grandpa and grandma Hill have been so kind to send me notes via mail and facebook. My Mom is always there for me, and has supported me SO much! My whole family at home and everywhere make a huge difference. I love them so much, and I'm so grateful for them! What would I do without all these amazing people? haha This year has been so amazing! I know that next year will be too!!! I can't wait! Well, i take that last statement back, Summer is just around the corner, and I cant wait for THAT! :) hehe and Next year will be WONDERFUL too! I'm so grateful for all the amazing things that have happened to me this past week! I'm a MADRIGAL! (ah. it still hasnt hit me.) I can hardly believe it all!
:) Well, this is the end of my extremely long blog post. I hope to write more often now that things are slowing down a bit. My Best Days are ahead of me! and I can't wait. :)
