The Afterlife of a Band Nerd

Starting a Song: It's Like Swish and Flick!

  August 15, 2017

  So, we did a while bunch of funky breathing exercises in band today. We did this thing where we breathed in for 8 counts, then at one point we exhaled for 16 counts. Well, after exhaling, we'd have to eventually breathe again, right?
  Well, Mr. Davis made the percussionists do the exercises too. So, whenever we'd get done exhaling for 16 seconds, you could just hear the gasps of breath from the row behind us. A lot of the wind players started snickering, because the percussionists probably felt like they were going to pass out.
  We eventually did get to play today. We started off with a C major scale. Some of us wouldn't start at the same time, so Mr. Davis stopped us and was like,"Ok, how many of you in here have watched or read Harry Potter?"
  Well, pretty much the whole band raised their hands, because it's well, band.
  "Well," Mr. Davis continued,"whenever Hermione was like,'It's swish and flick,' that's basically what I'm doing for a downbeat. When I flick, you start."

So, that's how we found out how nerdy our director is. He also has a welcome mat to his office that says,"Welcome you are" with Yoda on it. I freaked out when I saw it.

  While Mr. Davis has to go answer the office phone or something, Jaws yelled,"Hit the bass drum!" to a percussionist. Then, he put his face the sousaphone and started playing Freaks. I looked over at CS and whispered that I could play it. He nodded and I put my lips to my mouthpiece and joined in after the bass drum. Several heads turned toward me and I started blushing immediately. Jaws and I continued our duet until I think Mr. Davis walked back in.

  We got our first song: Rosanna.

  So, yeah, I had a good day. Bye!

  – Rey