A Day in The Life

I figured its about time that I start posting a little bit more about me personally as a band director. Here's the reader's digest version of my life recently. I have been wanting an iPhone for every and recently got the iPhone from Verizon. It has changed my life and brought me a lot of joy. It's also enabling my technology abilities to sky rocket. I took the following pics on my iPhone over the last few days.

I also have been really sick. For a really long time. The short version of this story is that after finding out that my chronic sinus infections, migraines, constantly ailment is not a result of allergies. I'm not really allergic to anything and after having CT scans done yesterday my doctor says "it's bad and we need to meet tomorrow". So tomorrow at 10am we will finally know what the heck is wrong with me and maybe after 13+ years I can finally get well.

Now on to the fun pics. Here's pictures from my life on the job at ST.

This is my beautiful lovely third jazz band. We have three jazz bands. I teach the top jazz band which is during the school day. Jazz Bands 2 & 3 are after school. My good friend Reno Brian teaches Jazz 2 and I teach Jazz 3. This year the group has full instrumentation which is killer and an amazing work ethic and are a joy to teach. This was taken Tuesday when our Jazz Band I trumpets came and played with the Jazz 3 section making a MEGA TRUMPET SECTION. I'm also super proud of the trombones because only one of them is actually a trombone player (the others play baritone, trumpet & tuba) and they are doing an amazing job.

This is Tyler. He is my student aide and member of our band program. He is also about to be one of my great success stories. He went through a bit of a rough patch this year but has really taken a life turn around and is just thriving. He keeps the program running by being a student aide/percussion manager during 2nd period, 4th period student aide, and plays percussion in Symphonic Band. Since I'm thrifty I can't afford a personal assistant or a real secretary but I have students like Tyler who keep the program running and are amazing. This morning Tyler was running two computers at once :) Also notice that he is wearing an Oregon shirt. That's why he rocks.

We'll be talking about some of Tyler's projects that are part of being a thrifty band director at a later time.




And then there are bird whistles. Why are they here? Because we have kids playing bird whistle and that's funny and they are thrifty instruments (99 cents). I can't discuss this at much detail but to say they are part of our Performing Arts Department "Beatles" Concert this year. It's a fundraiser (that's right more on that later) to benefit our entire department (to buy things we all use like microphones & a grand piano cover etc) and will include performances by our percussion ensemble (bird whistles are part of that) and Jazz Band I, Chamber Singers, Ukulele Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Musical Theater, and Advanced Drama.

And here's our percussion ensemble for the Beatles concert. We are performing an arrangement of "Blackbird" arranged by Reno Brian (conductor and arranger). I'm also playing. It's a fun mish mash group of percussionists, a group of marching band percussionists who play wind instruments and some wind players/aspiring percussionists. It was a good time!

So welcome to the Santa Teresa Band room!