[Dhsbb-jazz] San Diego summary

[DHS Band Boosters - Jazz Band]

A Band Trip Follow-up Message
Hello Band Parents.  Welcome back after a relaxing holiday.  We are  
into the home stretch with final concerts and graduation.  There  
won't be a June newsletter or meeting other than the planning session  
at Doreen Conte's home on June 12. My parting gift to you all is a  
lengthy account of our wonderful experience in San Diego.  But first  
business is about photos that can be purchased from the Forum Musical  
Festival for the Davis High Concert and Symphonic Bands.  They are  
posted at  www.jolesch.com.  Enter location as San Diego.  Click on  
Forum Music Festival and the dropdown has the Concert and Symphonic  
bands with several shots (serious vs goofy) to choose from.

If you have some time now, read on to hear about the trip.  If not,  
save it for later.  And if you really have time, click onto  
www.dhsbandboosters.org to see the corresponding photo show,  
including Festival shots, compliments of John Chuck and Fred Conte.   
Thank you gentlemen.  A high-speed connection is recommended.


San Diego Band Trip synopsis

Did your student go on the band trip and tell you absolutely nothing  
about it upon his/her return?  That has been the story for my boys  
all through school so I try to attend as many of these events as  
possible.  I can’t tell you every detail of your child’s experience  
but you may enjoy hearing about some of the more delightful moments  
as a window into a most magical 4 days.

Thursday, May 18
Buses departed around 12:30 pm with 119 rather excited students, 20  
chaperones, lots of luggage, instruments, and band equipment on  
board.  Made some extra rest and water stops arriving at Embassy  
Suites La Jolla well before midnight.  Students traveled well,  
studied some, the Sodoku was a killer, fairly quiet overall, and  
seemed to get to sleep quickly.

Friday, May 19
Many were up early for the 6 AM hot breakfast.  All were ready on  
time in their dress blacks for the festival at Point Loma Nazerene  
University.  What a primo location, overlooking the Pacific Ocean  
with meticulously groomed grounds, so serene and beautiful.  About 5  
other high schools were participating and many attended our  
performances.  Symphonic Band went first with a fiery and dramatic  
set that brought the audience to its feet.  Our students thought only  
Davis High students were watching but were pleased to hear how  
strangers were cheering and raving about never having heard such  
powerful music.  Symphonic Band earned Gold at the Awards Ceremony  
with Outstanding Musician Awards presented to Chris Weisker (our Oboe- 
Man) and Michael Kim (flute and keyboard).  Concert Band similarly  
shined earning the Silver Award and Jazz Band had the house rocking  
with Morgan Jones dancing on the piano, trumpets and trombones  
swaying, and Benny Amon flying high on a drum solo.  By then we had  
some serious fans in the audience who wanted autographs.  Gold Award  
for Jazz Band with Morgan Jones earning the Oustanding Musician award.

Then we were off to Sea World, land of penguins, dolphins, flamencos,  
and of course Shamu the Killer Whale.  With equal time for getting  
wet on various roller coaster rides.  The weather was mild and sunny,  
the park uncrowded, fun and relaxing overall.  We returned to the  
hotel for pizza and dancing in the ballroom.  Many students found  
their way to the swimming pool where some intense water polo and  
wrestling took place, 25 boys in the pool gives you an idea of the  
energy level.  Unfortunately that close contact led to an eye  
accident propelling our trusty trip doctor, John Chuck, into action.   
Coincidentally we had our very own eye specialist, Jeff Rabowsky, on  
board and the student was patched up quickly.   Dr. Chuck was not off  
the hook yet.  Our Trip Coordinator felt a bit faint in the glass  
elevator and took to the ground where Dr. Chuck cajoled her into  
fluid replacement and she was good as new.  All this activity and  
excitement, long days and sunshine, can have its consequences as we  
all learned.

They slept well that night.  This student group is one of the finest  
I have been privileged to accompany.  They were prompt, organized,  
respectful, and happy.  You parents should be so proud.

Saturday, May 21
In the morning we roamed around Seaport Village where it was sunnier,  
again on the waterfront of the San Diego Harbor overlooking Coronado  
Island and the great ships.  The Combined Band performed in a busy  
fountain intersection of the mall, a wonderful array of Americana  
tunes, some historic, others nostalgic.  For the Cole Porter medley,  
Chris Weisker and Jenny Reuter courageously led the swing dancing  
enticing their bold admirers to join in.  Then Sterling Carlton blew  
us away with a Benny Goodman medley where his clarinet may have  
sounded better than Goodman himself.  The show was hosted by the  
antics of Doug Sprankling and Alex Hartnett who improvised  
throughout, some very bad jokes, but lots of laughter all around.   
The Jazz Band followed at the Gazebo venue with a lively and exciting  
set that drew quite a crowd of onlookers.  Those trombones who could  
barely fit on the stage somehow managed to parade around during  
Cruising for a Bluesin.

Off to Old Town for a final Combined Band Performance.  Same set but  
this time Grace Pettygrove proved herself to be a swing dancer (led  
by Chris Weisker) and all had a good time.  Most of us enjoyed great  
Mexican food, some brought home various gifts and trinkets, and the  
evening ended with a huge Capture the Flag game in the State Park in  
the dark.  Back at the hotel more swimming (no injuries this time),  
lots of talking with friends, riding the elevator, etc.  Again they  
looked so happy.

I don’t know if every student had the best time ever but most of them  
sure looked pleased.  They will have fabulous memories of the trip.   
It was truly golden.

I want to especially thank the Trip Coordinator, Laurel Fagan, and  
Committee Members Sue McKinney, Linda Parfitt, Sarah Davis, Dennis  
Edgerly, Steve and Mary Kay Williams, Jill Theg (champion joke teller  
of bus #1), and other chaperones Tamara Rees-Arredondo, Kathy Castona- 
Hoover, Jerry Igelsrud, Fred Conte, Sally Springer, Jeff Rabowsky,  
and John Chuck for working together to plan and execute such a  
successful experience for the band students.  Special recognition to  
Fred Lange for the music selections which perfectly matched the  
various venues, bringing out the best in our students and providing a  
delightful experience for all audiences.  That takes skill.  That is  
why HE is the Director.  Thanks also to his lovely wife Pat who keeps  
Fred going, even when the shuttle breaks down.  What good sports.

So What About those great T-shirts designed by Daniel Wu.  And What a  
Road Crew led by Kate Williams and including Anjan Purohit, Clifford  
Hu, Jack Lescroat, Sabrina Simonton, Doug Sprankling, Brian Thompson,  
Jack Brazil, Alex Hartnett, Andrew Barnhart, Robert Matlock, Mark  
Fagan, Kristin Rumery, Ben Zeiger, with help from Aviel Haberman,  
Kimberly Clark, Chris Weisker, Katie Fyhrie, Paul Conte, Jon Kelly,  
and “RosenTheg” for the Langemobile.  Maybe I left some out, so  
sorry.  These capable students managed to move and track numerous and  
heavy pieces of equipment on and off the buses throughout the trip.   
Kudos.

Much goes on behind the scenes to make such an event happen.  From  
the beginning of the school year with Boosters organizing, with each  
fundraising activity and musical performance, all the meetings and  
phone calls, there are many decisions to make this go right.   We are  
grateful to have the talent and expertise among us to achieve such  
quality.  As my last band student is graduating, I am especially  
appreciative of having had this as part of our high school  
experience.  I wish all of you the best and continued success for the  
program.

Esther Rose
DHS Band Boosters Vice President