Saturday, March 29: We host the Rochester Crusaders in Concert at ERHS!

NYSPC Percussion Competitions. See below for recaps from performances...

March 8, Midlakes: After months of preparation and countless hours of rehearsal, we finally loaded up to head out to our first competition of our 2nd season. Unfortunately, there was a terrible three-day-long ice/sleet/snow storm. There was a question as to whether the show would actually take place. 15 minutes into our bus ride, we came upon a major accident, and were delayed by 30-45 minutes. This took a serious bite out of our preparation time at the school, but we knew we would still have time to set up and get ready. Until, that is, we arrived at Midlakes HS. And our equipment didn't.

We located the equipment van and it didn't look like the equipment was going to arrive in time for our performance. So the good folks from Midlakes simply asked the other schools if we could go later. They all said, "Oh, how terrible, of course we'll switch." Except one. And they have to all agree in order for the schedule to be changed.

So much for the spirit of music education and camaraderie. Or, as the NYSPC puts it,

The best interests of each musician is of paramount importance. Good musicianship, sportsmanship, and skill improvement are the goals of the NYSPC.

Apparently not at one school. But they know who they are. And so do we. And so does everybody else.

This is when the magic happened... just when you think that someone else's love of a trophy is going to cost all of these kids their opportunity to show off their hard work, the staff, students, and parents from Midlakes all stepped up. They stopped their own preparation (they were on immediately after us), and turned their instruments over to us. And they are in our division, and we are in direct competition. The only thing missing was the electric guitar, which is key to our rock-based show. So one of their teachers (I'm so sorry, I've forgotten your name) go and gets his own, personal, beloved, incredibly expensive Gibson hollow-body electric for our guitarist to play.

As we were lined up, waiting for the group in front of us to play, word came that our equipment had arrived. So, in under 5 minutes, we gratefully returned all of Midlakes equipment to them (especially that guitar) and got our own. It had been a solid hour of emotions going up and down. Everybody was on edge, and I had no idea how we'd do.

It was, without question, the best this group has ever played.

2nd place, PSS division.

Best Battery Award, our first ever.

© 2008 Mark Gowman