Day 1223: Responsibilities

The semester is rounding out, and that means that my usually busy schedule is almost worse than normal. Of course, everything decided to fall on the weekend before finals, much to the dismay of myself and many of my fellow SNC students, since our jazz band played for the Dean's Reception, which was held in the library. Not the best idea, really. We did have fun with it though, playing some of our favorite tunes and checking Yik Yak every few minutes to see who was complaining about us being there. It was a nice break from all the studying though!

It also happened to be State Solo and Ensemble, which put me going back and forth between SNC and another nearby college campus to hear my brother and other members of the Seymour High School Band perform for state competition. I think I drove more than I really needed to for one weekend, especially right before finals, but it did give me a chance to listen to Finding Nemo the Musical, which I just found the soundtrack for on Spotify!

All in all, life at the end of a semester of college is pretty boring apparently. There's not really time to work on the blog, trips are usually still pretty far away, and most of the day is spent reading textbooks that maybe should have been read earlier in the semester.

And that's about it. Responsibilities have kept me pretty busy lately, so there isn't much Disney to report. It's too bad really, because everyone can always use more Disney in their life!

Have a magical day!

Day 1208: Jazz Trippin'

One of the best parts of being a music student is the opportunity you have to travel. In High School, many go on band trips, but jazz trips are pretty popular too. In fact, in my years traveling with the high school band, I went on six trips that allowed me to travel through at least 18 states and to some of the greatest places in the world, Disney included. In college, that changes a bit. Usually, at St. Norbert, we'll go on a large trip every few years with the wind ensemble, but if you really want to travel more often, Jazz band is the way to go.

Once a year the St. Norbert College Jazz Band packs up their instruments and heads to a jazz festival. Typically it's been to the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, just like this year, but from the sound of it we might be exploring some new locations starting next year. Regardless, we headed out early in the morning for Eau Claire, and had quite the day!

It has to be noted that we listened to Disney music for the whole three hour drive out to Eau Clarie, and then, once we got there and finished our performances, we made our way around the campus, exploring their union and library. We also had a chance to catch some professional performances as a part of the festival, and looked at new instruments that we definitely can't afford. Finally, after we left, we stopped in Eau Clarie for a group dinner at a local pizza joint, and let me tell you, there's nothing quite like eating unlimited pizzas with a bunch of jazz musicians. 

And that's just it. As much as traveling places is fun, it's even more fun with your friends, and when you're always doing something you love. I wasn't feel well the entire day, but I definitely still had a great time and am really looking forward to next year's jazz trip too! And here's one more picture, because when you find a beautiful scene like this, you just have to capture it! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1167: For the Fourth Time

To a musician, one of the best parts of life is meeting other musicians, especially when they're your favorite musicians! Of course, meeting your favorite saxophone player four years in a row isn't a chance everyone has, but it's definitely become a highlight of my spring semester these past few years! 

You can find the FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD times I met Mr. Eric Marienthal by clicking the links, but this year we headed back to the Shawano Jazz Festival, or Shazz for short, with a whole bunch of jazz musicians ready to see Marienthal and this year's other guest artist, Chuck Loeb. 

For those of you that don't know these musicians, Eric Marienthal is a professional saxophone player and produces some of his own music as well as with Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. He's won one Grammy award and has performed with artists such as Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Johnny Mathis, Olivia Newton-John, and many many others. Chuck Loeb is a Grammy nominated guitarist, composer, and producer, as well as a #1 jazz recording artist. He has been a producer of over thirty world-renowned recording artists and produced 18 solo CDs. So I guess you could say that these guys are pretty important in the music world. 

This year at Shazz, Eric performed my favorite song of his, "Baby Cakes," and they also did some tracks from their new album Bridges. If you're looking for some new jazz to listen to on this fine day, definitely check both of them out! After all, I know for sure that Eric has plenty of connections to Disney, and I'm sure Chuck does as well! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 67: Jazz

Tomorrow my Jazz Band heads to a nearby city to perform at a jazz festival...featuring a professional alto saxophone player from LA. I'm pretty excited, as this is the second time I'll get to meet the professional (we went last year and he was there), although I'm a bit disappointed that I won't be playing a solo. It's a long story, but I'd love the feedback...and I'm not necessarily going to get any.

Either way, this morning we had a saxophone section (I'm lead alto for the group) and the five of us, plus our director, were discussing our futures. I'm double majoring in English and Saxophone Performance, and like I've said before, I'd love to head into Imagineerng. But one of our songs features the saxophone section on flute and clarinet and a couple people thought it was funny, but I put in my cent of the jazz band at the Grand Floridian.

I love this group, and I've certainly looked up to them over the past few years, especially since I became lead alto my Sophomore year. The Jazz Band is a great group, and I think it'd be wonderful to play with them someday. It's like one of my dreams.

Anyway, I've spent a good amount of time this morning listening to music from the Floridian, and it's kind of funny that it came up today since I spent a good amount of time yesterday writing about just this subject in my memoir. It's like the second time something has connected to the fact that I'm writing about stopping and smelling the roses. Maybe it's a sign that this section should be in the memoir?

Here's today's Disney History: 1983: U.S. President Reagan pays a visit to EPCOT, escorted by Dick Nunis, President of Walt Disney World, and several hundred math and science students from Central Florida. He first visits the American Experience attraction before making an afternoon speech at a podium located on the World Showcase Lagoon, directly opposite of Spaceship Earth. Reagan speaks of the promise of EPCOT Center and what it meant to his friend Walt Disney and to the world.

Have a magical day!

Day 3: Tough Decisions

I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, but my High School Band is working on the audition process for Disney. As President and Drum Major, it's very much my concern...even though for the year in-between now and the trip, I won't be around, since I'm a senior.

My band is in a very unique situation, and I'm not going to explain it all...but I do want to talk about my inspiration for being a leader. As a sophomore I was thrown into a leadership position I didn't necessarily want, much less was ready for. I was lead alto of Jazz Band, due to circumstances out of my control. But I love Jazz, and I love music, so I worked toward being a better leader for Jazz. That year I was also treasurer for our band council...and by the end of the year, I had officially decided to run as Vice President the following year, despite the fact that I would be running against a fellow band member and friend, who also happened to be a senior. I ended up winning Vice President, as well as the election for Band Council Representative...of which I then declined and handed off to a friend of mine who had also been running. It was the right thing to do. Then this year, no one ran against me. I was President, and again without much debate, I was Drum Major. It all happened so quickly. How I decided I was ready, I have no idea.

But there are three people, none of which are alive (well, or real) that inspire me and the way I lead a group, in this case...Band. First and foremost is Walt Disney...for obvious reasons. I understand the trials and tribulations that Walt went through to start his company, but he never gave up on anything he really wanted to do. He would let ideas sit in his head until he was clear on what he wanted. Once he said that, or in any case really, he then spent time modifying the idea and making it perfect, and when the idea was built, it was the same way. In band, it's that idea exactly that gets me through a lot of things. Back as a sophomore, last year as a junior and now as a senior, I work at things until I have them perfect, and when I approach our band council and director with an idea, I've already thought about different problems or scenarios that could arise from the plan. I am confident in what I want, and while I'll listen to other parts, I'm pretty stubborn too...which I guess, is another part of Walt Disney. I've seen the Disney quality, and I do everything in my power to make my ideas, projects, personal musicianship and leadership to bring the same quality to that.

My second inspiration comes from one of Walt's childhood heroes...in fact, Walt's Childhood hero...period. I base a lot of what I say on Abraham Lincoln, a man whom I find, is a great writer. His speeches led a country through the most difficult situation possible, and I am stuck in many difficult situations with Band. He had one goal...I have one goal, but if it accomplishes something else along the way, all the better. He wanted to keep his national together, and while I want to keep my band together, I want to decrease negativity within our group, which in the end will, hopefully, bring our band closer together. Plus, it never hurts to have a brilliant speech every once and a while.

Finally, and this one is pretty weird and may seem geeky, Princess Leia Organa, yes from Star Wars, inspires me to be a good leader. If you look at her storyline, it's quite impressive. She has everything taken from her at a very young age...her home, family and overall, life. She, of course, throws herself into her cause, only to ignore those who love her that are around her. When she finally lets Han in, he is taken from her too...but she rescues him. It's what she wants. Now we have very little knowledge of what happened in between those movies...and if there's a book, I'm sorry, but I have no intention of reading it (Courtship of Princess Leia ruined everything for me). But anyway, we don't know, but I like to think that she is one to fight for what she believes in...whether that be the Alliance or for Han. But there's one other aspect that I really take from Leia. I've always felt that she would want to be one with the people, not one above the people, and that's exactly how I want to be with band. I spend much of my time focusing on maintaining relationships within the band...helping out members if they need it, talking with people, making jokes, trying to make it fun. Now, of course, I can't get along with everyone, but it does make me a little disappointed in myself when I hear about how people are afraid to talk to me. It's happened at least three or four times in the last two months...and I feel awful that I'm not doing enough to maintain those relationships. But I won't just walk away with my head down, I'll, as Walt always said, "keep moving forward."

The difficult thing is, now at least, that I don't know where "forward" is. We have so many options, and what I feel is best for our group is quickly slipping through my fingers...not to say that I know what is best, but I have put a lot of thought into it, and I don't think I'll be able to just sit around and watch the group I've worked so hard for fail. I can't do that. The question is, if I can't do that, how do I start what I think is right?

Have a magical day!