Let's Do This

8th Grade Night

It was a few months into the school year, and I walked into the school with my band polo on. Most of the eighth grade band kids are wearing their band polos to school today, excited for being able to watch their freshman march. Some has never even watched our high schools marching band, but I have watched their marching band ever since I was little.

I remembered when I first went to watch my brother in marching band when he was a freshman. I was a elementary student still, and I went into a marching band competition waiting for my brothers band to go. I sat behind my parents with my brother who just entered fifth grade.

I remember when my brothers band went on, and my parents kept on talking. I bet I wanted to watch my brothers band more than them. I remember loving his marching band show, how it sounded beautiful.

I remember the marching band had a piano solo of 'River Flows in You', and it was just perfect. It moved me in every single way, even though I was just a fourth grader. I remember thinking on how will I ever join marching band.

And now, many years later, I'm gonna be able to be in marching band soon.

~

Just last year, my band has been placed 8th in a state competition. I know since I watched their show a million times and watched my brother march live from the competition on my computer.

I wonder what this years band show will be like.

~

I stepped out of the school bus and into the night air with my friends. I got my flute case in hand and all of the stand music memorized. I walked on the sidewalk, quiet, with the band. I could see my band on the stands ready for the football game to start.

I looked to my side and saw my friends walking with me.

"Let's do this..." I whispered to them, and grinned.

After a not so long walk, I was stepping onto the stands seeing all of the marching band kids greet us. I sat all the way in the front, where the flutes were, and was told to quiet down. I looked up the stands, to the high school flute section, and saw this tan Asian guy looking at me.

Without even noticing, I smiled and he smiled back, I saw that he was holding a flute.

"Looks like I'm gonna be playing with him next year..." I said to myself. Trying to forget about him, I looked a bit more and saw Cheyenne looking at me, then him. Did she see him and I looking at each other?

Soon, Cheyenne smiled at me and I smiled back. I turned to face the field to see that the football players already about to play.

"Mkay, Junior High Kids, first we will start with the stand music you guys know, then we will play some other music you might not know." I heard the high school band director said. He was pretty tall and slender, and he seemed as close to them as if he was their dad.

I looked up and saw a drum major signaling us to play the first of our songs; Louie Louie.

It was my favorite stand songs and I had it memorized by heart. He started conducting in a way I found interesting and the song started.

Playing Louie Louie was interesting, because apparently the other drum major was conducting a measure later and it made the song sound weird yet cool and unique.

After a few songs, the marching band kids were playing a tune we were unfamiliar with, so the junior high kids were just told to clap and it was actually pretty fun.

I looked in front of me and saw the high school band director looking at me a few feet away, and it looked like he was signaling me to clap. I kept clapping and saw Niko beside me not clapping, so I concluded that he was telling Niko to clap.

I nudged Niko. "Clap..." I whispered to him. I turned back to the band director and saw him right beside me, staring.

"No, I'm telling you to clap." He told me emphasizing the 'you', and he sounded as if I was dumb. Then he left.

"What... what?!" I said to Niko who was laughing. "I...uh!" I said totally speechless. "I was clapping!"

I turned to look up at the stands where the marching band kids were. I saw Cheyenne laughing, and I sighed. I heard that the band director doesn't forget a face, and what they did.

~

"Okay, junior high kids! We're going to the side, where the high school kids warm up for their marching band." The band director said, glancing at me. I sighed once again.

We started walking in a straight line, brass and woodwinds separating since the brass would warm up somewhere else.

Soon, we were away from the football field and were on the parking lot with the lights shining on the eighth graders.

The eighth graders were standing against a wall, facing the high schoolers which were standing in an arch. On top of the wall were the three drum majors and in front of the high schoolers and eighth graders was the band director checking the high schoolers every single move.

Niko and I were standing in the exact front line of the eighth graders, also in the middle of the arc, so basically we got the best view, besides that we can't see the high schoolers since there is no light shining in them.

The band director started counting down and the drum majors started conducting. Before I knew it, a large, loud, wave of music washed over me.

I probably looked ridiculous but I was grinning, loving the sound and taking ever single thing that happened. I noticed that the high schoolers were marking time, stepping and looking really professional.

The band director decided for them to warm up at a different set and he made them start once again. This time the high schoolers all did a wave like thing with their bodies when they had to crouch down a little and draw a circle, which is actually hard to describe, but awesome to look at. They were also playing their memorized field show music which only sounded like 16th notes while doing that.

I tried to fight my ridiculous grin forming loving, because it was just perfect. This seemed like a beautiful music filled dream.

I tried to find that dude that smiled at me, but all I could see were their shadows. Plus, it made it harder to find him because they all looked the same.

Sadly the beautiful dream like moment filled with music had ended, but it was time for halftime, when they have to play.

~

The eighth graders hiked to the top of the stands, and into the middle while the high schoolers got ready to play on the field. Before I knew it, we were sitting down waiting for them to play.

The show was called 'A Sweet Dream'. I smiled when I heard that. The music actually seemed like that would be the name

It started with a piano solo, then a flute soloist joined in while the marching band made graceful movements in the field. Then there was silence and a whole, large, strong, and beautiful sound emerged and it was awesome, perfect, and powerful.

This was the perfect day that I felt more than ever determined to stay in band. I promised to myself to not let anything or anyone get between me and band.

Because this was a day that felt like A Sweet Dream, and I know next year there will be more to come.

~~~~~~~

How was this?? Cheesy right??

I decided to write this in advance and everything cause, why?

(My first)BAND CAMP IS STARTING FOR ME.

Starts on August 1st :D, which is tomorrow...

I'll try to keep posting often, but since band camp is soon, I won't have much time anymore. D:

Well, HAPPY ... SUMMER? Idk... Summer is basically over now xD