I feel sorry for the Augsburg Pep Band.
I'm taking some classes at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, a fairly small liberal arts school. While looking at their website, I noticed that one student had started a pep band this year, and thought, "Oh, good for her." Then, at the bottom of the article it said, "We especially need low brass!"
I can't turn down a call for help like that. So, a few days ago I go to a rehearsal expecting a small group of maybe 30. Instead, there were 7 people - three trumpets, a snare drummer, a very annoying trombonist, the founder/bass drummer/conductor and a very confused and underwhelmed me. Worse, we played a public gig tonight, serenading hockey fans going to the Minnesota Wild game, and we were by no means anywhere near ready to perform in front of the public. The snare drummer was probably the best one, but I was next best, and I haven't played for a year. Worst of all, they insisted on... gack... m@rching. Poorly.
They're a very new group, so I'm not terribly surprised. I do want to help them, and having been a part of the Second Best Feeling In The World (c) for most of six years, I'm pretty well qualified to help them get better music (have I mentioned I hate the Hey Song?) However, I want to do more than that - I want to help them towards being the sort of amazing social organization, PR tool, and sports-boosting group that the Huskies Pep Band has become. How do I do that without stepping on their toes (Augsburg is NOT Michigan Tech, hah), or creating a HPB clone? And more importantly, how do I help them become better and stronger without taking too much time from my life?
I can't turn down a call for help like that. So, a few days ago I go to a rehearsal expecting a small group of maybe 30. Instead, there were 7 people - three trumpets, a snare drummer, a very annoying trombonist, the founder/bass drummer/conductor and a very confused and underwhelmed me. Worse, we played a public gig tonight, serenading hockey fans going to the Minnesota Wild game, and we were by no means anywhere near ready to perform in front of the public. The snare drummer was probably the best one, but I was next best, and I haven't played for a year. Worst of all, they insisted on... gack... m@rching. Poorly.
They're a very new group, so I'm not terribly surprised. I do want to help them, and having been a part of the Second Best Feeling In The World (c) for most of six years, I'm pretty well qualified to help them get better music (have I mentioned I hate the Hey Song?) However, I want to do more than that - I want to help them towards being the sort of amazing social organization, PR tool, and sports-boosting group that the Huskies Pep Band has become. How do I do that without stepping on their toes (Augsburg is NOT Michigan Tech, hah), or creating a HPB clone? And more importantly, how do I help them become better and stronger without taking too much time from my life?