Klarinet Archive - Posting 000838.txt from 1997/08

From: Terri Kimiko Oda <as648@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: Marching Band
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 20:50:42 -0400

>Well, I know that one of the reasons I so dislike marching band is
>because I live in Florida, and the weather is horrible for the whole
>week of band camp, and all our afternoon rehearsals.

Our marching band, which consists of interested musicians from anywhere in
the school (we get no credit, but it's really fun because everyone *wants*
to be there...), has what I'd imagine is a very different problem from
yours, Craig...

Every year, we try to gather enough musicians for the Easter Parade here in
Ottawa, and this spring was no exception. We got a group together, taught
the new members how to march, and worked on some light music for the parade.
However, easter came a week earlier this year, and Ottawa can be miserably
cold around that time of year... We assembled on the day in -15 C weather,
noticing that many groups were not even visible and had probably cancelled.
We sat in a building with other groups from the parade, trying to stay warm,
then went out to try one piece before setting out, to decide if it was worth
it. The brass instruments were frozen, except for the one horn which had
been kept warm thanks to the player's coat and my back as several of us
huddled together for warmth. Only a handful of clarinets could make it
through the tune before their fingers were useless (and mine hurt for hours
afterwards when they warmed up, though I did make it through the piece).
One flautist proudly displayed the icicle forming on the end of her flute.
Only the drummer happily and loudly declared that she was warm (with her
huge mitts on, a scarf, etc.). Sadly, we had to cancel.
A few days later someone wrote to the local newspaper complaining
that there weren't very many groups in the parade, no enough people had come
to watch, and only one sad-sounding marching band had made it through. They
were insulted, as parades were *so* much better in their native Nova Scotia
(where it's generally a tad warmer in spring). Two of us (Both clarinets)
wrote insulted letters back to the paper, and a photographer came to snap
pictures of us with our clarinets (held at ridiculous angles, but hey, it's
photography, not music).

Never did get to play with the marching band this year, though.
After that, not enough people were interested when we tried to assemble for
the tulip festival.

-> Terri <-
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Terri Kimiko Oda || spot@-----.com
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