Post Title. 10/06/2010
 

The End of an Era...

Last month, the music world suffered a sudden loss with the passing of George N. Parks, professor of music and marching band director of the University of Massachusetts "Minuteman" Marching Band. To describe who Parks was as a human being is a difficult thing to do because he was the very essence of energy, excitement, committment, showmanship, genius, laughter... pride. Parks was so much more than an extraordinary drum major, educator and musician. What we lost can never be replaced.

So, instead of casting our grief at the heels to something that once was, I think it's best to remember how ALIVE he was and what Parks contributed to this world. Though I only knew him for a short time, my recollection of George Parks is something that I will always smile upon.

I met George in the summer of 2000. For those of you who don't know GNP, he was the founder of the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy (cool name, huh?). I was a newly appointed drum major for the West Chester East High School Viking Marching Band and I was ready to led the band with guns-a-blazing. That August I stood side by side with literally HUNDREDS of other teenagers that we appointed drum majors - it was a really cool thing to be a part of. Sure we got to learn how to call commands properly, define our marching technique and conduct... but I think perhaps the most valuable thing I got from that week of camp were his "starred thoughts," his stories... to see him so excited about performing, to see him throw the mace and of course, to see him salute with those eyes so strict to attention, so full of pride.

A few years later, I became a member of the Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band of West Chester University and hey, eventually... drum major. I'd like to think that GNP and I had this cool thing in common - he was drum major of WCU and so was I (2005). I had the opportunity to join his Academy staff so it was my turn to help teach the masses. You'd think that after so many year (and I'm talking decades!) of teaching the same thing, it would get a little tiring... but you would have had a hard time telling from the way that George taught. I still saw him teaching with that same sense of fire and excitement - and this was something he did all summer long. It wasn't until all the kids had left and gone back to their dorms that you would see George deflate a little... and only a little. It was a humbling thing to see that even the great drum major of the Reading Buccaneers needed some time to "chill out." He would take the staff out to the movies or gather us around to play Taboo or some other fun game, like we were a family.

We were George's extended family and we have lost a great friend and brother. I will never forget him nor his teachings.

To be continued...
 
First Post! 07/26/2010
 
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I've never had my own blog before - this is exciting. Well, I can think of other things that I could be doing now, like, practice... but this blog was created for you, my students! There will be times when I will ask you to read an article or listen to a piece of music on YouTube and then you will provide me with feedback on this very dandy form of communication. For example: Say I am in a Percy Grainger mood - you know how much I love Grainger! I could have you read a letter that he wrote to his friend describing his trip to the rolling green country side of Ireland for inspiration for one of his compositions. I could ask you a reflection question and then you can post a comment in the length of a few sentences.

This blog is not about Percy Grainger, no, not today. I will delve into one of my fabulous analogies at some other time.

So tell me, how was your summer?