I was probably the person with the least pan playing experience in the advanced band. I've been playing just under a year and a half now. Still, I was impressed by may of the others playing in the advanced band. Some were just high school graduates. I'm blown away at the thought of how far they could develop their talents. The sky is the limit.
After morning rehearsals, we spent part of the afternoon moving the pans to the stage of the concert hall. Space wise, things are pretty tight, as you can see by the photo. They have to be to accommodate all three bands. There is no band leader up front conducting. Instead, the songs get kicked off by the engine room -- in other words, the drums, cowbells, iron, and other percussion instruments that make up the pulse.
The soundcheck is just a quick run-through or partial run-through. Ray's chart ended up being 6 pages long, so I taped mine together to prevent pages from hitting the ground. Page turns are tough because there are really no breaks at all in this song. Here is a clip of the intro during soundcheck:
http://soundcloud.com/biminiroad/ramajay-2012-soundcheck-clip
Once the show is over, you say your goodbyes and hugs, then go your separate ways. There is sometimes a post-show party. Once the pans are quiet and the mallets are put away, you can't help but to reflect on the experience.
I knew that this year would be a stretch for me and that I would be out of my comfort zone. It was definitely uncomfortable at times. I played well above my skill level just being with others who are more advanced than I am. I'm still surprised that I was able to adapt so quickly to a pan that had no notes written on it. I guess I don't need that crutch now. I'm also inspired by the musicianship that I got to be in the company of on a daily basis.
The festival was fun despite all the hard work. I pushed myself, and grew as a player. That is what I set out to do.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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