Today we kicked off our 2015 Marching Band Leadership Workshop. I have a lot of feelings as we move into the beginning of another season. I am one of those people who doesn't dread the end of summer or the beginning of marching band season. I am not one of those directors who doesn't like marching band....I love it. So this time of year is always a little exciting...sure I mourn the end of summer (but let's be honest I live in California so I am not mourning the end of great weather) but I am excited about the prospect of a new year and about the upcoming season. It's an exciting time.
As the years have gone on at ST (Santa Teresa HS) things have changed. When I started this blog my program didn't have near as much funding as it does now, that is true. However, it was in today's workshop that I was running (free of charge...so it was free :)) that there are a lot of other things that don't cost money or you CAN'T BUY! and sometimes they are the most important. Today I was reminded of a few things.
You can't buy success. You can buy a great musical arrangement, choreography, percussion music etc. You can assemble your dream team of staff (trust me I have been working on this for years) but you can purchase hard work or dedication from your students. You can't buy passion and commitment from your members. You can't buy intonation (because if we could we would). I reminded that to my students.
I can set them up for success. I can coordinate and encourage fundraising. I can provide them with all infrastructure for success but if they don't do it....well then we won't be the best group that we can be.
Hard work, dedication, determination, and commitment. Those are the important things that money can't buy.
Happy marching band season....we kick ours off tomorrow!
