Yesterday, these 2 lovelies started their week of RHS band camp!
Annah - senior - drum major
Sylvia - sophomore - field assistant, 1st mellophone
They said it was a great day!!!
Today, I spent much of the day helping several other band moms fit most of the kids for uniforms. I got to hear a tiny bit of the brass sectional in the afternoon.
Today was our 3rd/last Sunday to lead worship at the Mahomet church. We'd been wanting to do more with the kids' string instruments, and we finally got it together for today.
I feel like I always need to give a disclaimer when I post videos of music in this building. The acoustic situation is very, very difficult to deal with as musicians. Both the makeup of the space and the sound system cause a lot of echo and extra sound, but make it difficult for the people on stage to hear each other and stick together and stay in tune. So, you may hear that a few times, but overall, I am amazed with how well the kids did feeling, hearing, and making music in this space.
The kids started the service with Safe Retreat.
VIDEO:
We only did 2 songs for the worship set--Tis So Sweet, and Oceans--because Oceans is soooo long.
And, for the reflection/response, we did a song I've wanted to do for years, because I think it's one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard. I also love it because the St. Patrick's Breastplate is spoken at the end of it. I had to piece together music from several places to get an arrangement we could all do together, but it was so special to get to play Holy Spiritwith Gabriel's Oboe with the kids.
Pastor Karin gave the sermon today
We have really enjoyed our time with the Mahomet folks this summer!
It's not as fun as it was when they were in elementary school, I'll admit. Caeden wanted to get crayons, and I half wanted to buy them for him even though he wouldn't use them once. By the time they got to jr hi and HS, pretty much all they need are notebooks and binders.
Also this week...Annah started applying to colleges...!
Some schools don't actually open their applications until next week on August 1. Other schools will accept them before then, but they don't start reviewing until 8/1. She is getting ahead of the game since band camp is next week, then vacation, then school starts and she will be super busy.
I can't believe this kid is applying for colleges already.
While she was at drum major academy, Annah planned a meeting with the marching band leadership team for this coming marching season. When we picked her up from DMA, she said it was one of the most amazing things she had gotten to do in her life. She was so inspired! She came home and immediately put together a presentation, including slides and a video, and she prepared to share what she had learned with her leadership team. Today was the meeting. Every one of the leadership team showed up in the middle of the day during summer break, and stayed for Annah's 2+ hours presentation.
I was working on organizing uniforms, and got to listen from the closet in the band room while she taught these leaders how they were going to change the culture of their band through servant leadership. She taught them that no matter what the problem or attitude, the most important thing is always PEOPLE.
Last year, marching band was not always a positive experience for the girls. There were a lot of bad attitudes, and a lot of unfortunate conflict and hurt caused by intimidation, degradation, and power trips. I think all of this year's leaders are now very excited for band and changing the feeling of the group to one of encouraging and supporting each other and having fun while learning.
VIDEO: salute [present arms]
Mr. Marchese sat in on Annah's presentation and was very excited about what she shared. He said he would like to send all his drum majors to the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy in the future.
Then, he taught the team a new version of Rock/Paper/Scissors that they'll do at band camp...
Everyone plays at the same time, and whoever loses a round becomes the biggest fan of the person that beat them in the next round. Pretty fun and cool way to foster encouragement!
I am always proud of Annah. Today, I would say, as I listened to and watched her stand up and teach, encourage, and equip her peers to lead, I am overcome and beaming with pride at the person she is growing up to be!
We left The Shack before breakfast this morning. As we drove toward Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the girls and about 1500+ campers and counselors were singing Canturbury Lane together for the last time after breakfast.
As we pulled in at camp, there were campers walking from breakfast to cabins, finishing packing, getting ready for the day. Some of them looked surprised to see cars coming in to interrupt their quiet in the forest.
When we pulled up, we saw Sylvia walk out of the cabin, and Annah in the doorway. As I walked up to the cabin Annah waved at me.
All the girls came outside to appease the arriving moms and get an all-cabin picture.
These girls got along so well over the past 12 days, and were so encouraging to each other. I know some of them will remain lifetime friends!
L to R, back row: Sylvia, Annah, Caroline, Theresa, Savannah, Jo, Mary, Olivia, counselor Mikayla,
front row: Ikalani, Anna, and Makayla
After pictures, Jeremy and Caeden came into the cabin to take all the girls' things to the car and load it up. Apparently, all the girls in the cabin wanted to meet Caeden because Annah and Sylvia had told a story this morning about him falling out of bed.
Cabin goodbyes...
The girls adore their new friend Theresa from Germany. She is the sweetest!
So many wonderful memories made with new friends...
We were so happy to have our girls back!!!
Soon it was time for Annah to get to warm-up. She led us through the woods...
As soon as we walked out of the woods, I heard my dad's voice saying, "Hey, what's up!?" and saw him and mom getting out of their car! We had no idea they were going to be there!
We were all SO SURPRISED!
They had decided last weekend to come up and surprise us all, and stayed in a yucky cheap motel last night to get here today. What a special surprise!!!
Inside the theater, we met Annah's friend Sophie.
They have a beautiful stage and facility to learn and perform in!
During the 12 days as part of the musical theatre program, Annah attended classes in movement, dance, script analysis, voice and acting. She also took a class about opera for her minor.
The musical theatre students put together 5 songs and created a story around them. It was about their theatre group taking a trip to Europe, and included 5 songs: "Movin' Right Along," "I Love Paris," "C'est Magnifique" "Foggy Day, " and What a Wonderful World."
VIDEO:
The Shakespeare part of the theatre performance was in The Rose, which is a smaller exact replica of Shakespeare's actual Rose Theater!
The musical theatre and contemporary acting campers were the groundlings.
The Shakespeare performance was very unique in that 3 actors shared each role--on stage at the same time! It was really interesting to watch!
We tried to regroup after the performance, but had some issues communicating. Eventually, we all met for lunch at Main Camp. It is beautiful all through the forest...
Sibs
After eating, Sylvia left to get to her warm-up/rehearsal. The rest of us walked back through the woods to get to her performance later.
The Masterworks Orchestra performed in the beautiful Bartlett Memorial Music Shell.
Some lovely chamber groups were performing before the big concert.
Sylvia was one of the first to come on stage with her cello for the orchestra's performance.
At Blue Lake, there is sand everywhere, and Sylvia said she had to clear the sand from a spot on the floor so her foam rockstop wouldn't slide around so much.
getting set up and warmed up
Wendy brought Esme and Megan over to watch the girls' performances. Esme has attended Blue Lake 2 summers, and Megan hopes to next year. It was so sweet to get to spend time with them today!
Annah and Jeremy sat together to enjoy the concert.
Special recognition was given to the international students.
VIDEO: The performance was incredible! These are such talented kids, to come together and learn such a major work as Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in 11 days and perform it so beautifully!
(On the other hand, my videography is not so hot. We bought a professional audio recording, thankfully.)
The orchestra received a well-deserved standing ovation after their performance!
We all gathered around Sylvia to congratulate her on an amazing performance! So happy for her to have had such a unique and wonderful experience!
Music-loving McEowen cousins
Sylvia and her cello friend Josie
Sylvia asked us to walk with her to see beautiful Blue Lake itself, where the orchestra had just rehearsed before their performance.
Grateful girls, so happy after their 12 days of learning and growing at Blue Lake
A few minutes of visiting before the grandparents and cousins headed home
As we walked back to the car, camp was very quiet and suddenly empty. The Masterworks Orchestra was the last performance of the day, so the girls were literally the last campers to leave.
Jeremy repacked the car, now with Angel going into the trunk first.
Sylvia cried as we drove away; she had loved her camp experience so much she didn't want to leave. Annah loved it as well, but was ready to go home.
They are both very thankful for the opportunity to attend Blue Lake,
