Band

I started playing the saxophone in 6th grade. I don't know what possessed me to pick up the sax. After all, I clearly remember wanting to play the trombone because they sat in the front row at the UW Band spring concert. But by some whim, I chose the alto saxophone. I remember learning to play Hava Nagila in 6th Grade Band. That should have been a warning to me that every sax part I got for the rest of my playing career would be very, very boring. My band teacher kept things "lively" by getting frustrated and throwing music stands. No joke.

Fast forward past junior high and uninspired performances (despite how much "potential" a substitute director said my 8th grade band had. I learned to despise that word). I was never a great or outstanding player. I didn't practice often, and playing in front of the director (which was necessary to move up into a better band) made me nervous and squeaky.

It was in high school marching and pep band that I found my true interest. I attended marching camp the summer before 10th grade, where the rest of us marching band newbies learned how to mark-time-mark and about-face. I felt so proud in the hot polyester uniform marching down 8th Street in the annual Rapids parade. I also remember singing "I'll be there for you" on the bus there to a friend of mine who recently ended a relationship.

I was in marching and pep band all three years in high school (note: despite the name, Lincoln is a senior high). My pep band director (and friend Kendra's father) chose fun music for us to play. I also really got a kick out of dressing up with the themes he chose. Sci-Fi/Space was always fun. One year, I dressed up as Princess Leia (and so did Kendra - and friendship blossomed :o). My saxophone-playing cohorts, Andrea and Becky, and I had a lot of fun choreographing our movements to the songs (something later bands seemed to think they couldn't do. "What? Move to the music?!"). 25 or 6 to 4 was a favorite, as was the band's theme Call Me Al. Everyone danced to that one.

One fun thing about the band was the annual trip to participate in Band Day at Camp Randall Stadium during a Badger football game. That was chaos. Dozens of bands, thousands of kids, instruments, chaperones, etc. One year, a friend brought a stuffed Fozzie Bear doll and got lots of chants of "Foz-zie Bear!" from us. We also always played when we shouldn't have. Oh well.

The Band Day my senior year was definitely the best. We had a great group of friends on the bus, had a great time at the game, and got away with pretty much anything we wanted on the way home. We hung our uniforms from the overhead racks so the driver couldn't see what we were up to (though I believe s/he didn't care). It was all good, clean fun. We tried to see how many people we could cram into a seat (12, I believe), and found that we could flip over and under one of the back seats. We had a dance party by the glow of the red light above the rear door. Ah, such fun.

The Rapids wrestling team is really, really good. They've one the D1 state title or come in second all but one year since the early 90s. And every year, a pep band would be sent down to state to cheer on the wrestlers and fans. My senior year, they were going for their 4th straight title. Andrea made a sign that said Quad Squad, and we cheered their way to that victory. By the end of the evening, we had a new in-joke: thump (as in, a pin)-yeah! (crowd cheering)-*click* (Andrea taking a picture). Thump-yeah-click!

Other band-related memories: One evening after a marching band performance, a bunch us heard there was supposed to be an aurora borealis that evening. We went to the football practice field after halftime and sure enough, that was the only time so far I've ever seen one. It was amazing.

I tried out for drum major one year. It was probably a lack of confidence and weak voice that did me in.

My friends Renee and Laura played awesome bells. Our cadence was great, especially with Bill leading the way.

Trespassing on the main football field after a game, we found that 2 somersaults = 5 yards.

It can get really, really cold in the evenings. So cold, in fact, a few years we created fake "fires" to keep us warm on the sideline until it was time to play at halftime.