Topic: Pastoral Year '04 - '05
This morning I did something I never in a million years thought I, Michael John Rother of Palacios, would ever be doing. If you had told me back at the end of my high school years, as I was receiving the coveted "John Philip Sousa Award," I would not have believed you. Yet, I was asked, with no coersion on my part, to play band director for a morning for the two junior high and one high school band. I had the power, not the ear, but the power none the less. It was interesting being up on the conductors podium listening to the WHOLE band, something I had never done as a member. It was amazing the things you could hear. They would drag in spots or play the wrong thing and I could acutually pick it out. I even had the lingo of a band director, talking about breathing properly, warming up the instrument, watching the conductor. I even tried my hand at imagery to help the kids better picture what they were doing, or should be doing. I had a ball and think the kids may have learned something...there is an off chance that I was able to teach them something. The last thing that surprised me was that my nerves were calm overall will a slight sense of nervousness even once in a while. I guess the next venue for me to conduct in is Carnegie Hall.
