Summary: Learning Memoir Peer Review

Jiayue Qian
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Writing: Science & Technology (WRA-110-018)
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Review Task: Learning Memoir Peer Review #2 Task Details Alex Hoffmeyer Jamie Ogranaj
Alex's Writing
The snare echoes down the tunnel as the motto “heart on fire, mind on ice” takes iteffect. I approach the calm state of mind that is necessary performing in front what looks like a sea of green and white. My excitement is transformed into pure passion as I step into the zone and begin to kick-step my way onto Spartan Stadium field for the first time. How my performance went on this day depended on the accomplishment of a few goals: dedicating myself to the preparation of this show, which is easy enough to accomplish after the intense preseason
work, and more important at the moment, keeping the proper mentality when performing. However, being part of a band means that the success relies on the groups ability to collaborate and work seamlessly as one entity, not just my own efforts. The Spartan Marching Band a musical communities like it teaches its members not just to approach band with great dedication and collaboration, but in all aspects of life. Success is not given out like candy, it must be reached through hard work, determinism, cooperation, and the right attitude.

Starting from a young age my parents enforced that I take an appreciation for music. Piano lessons began in 2nd grade and ended a year into middle school, which is when I was learning how to play saxophone in the band. This time in my life was, like for many middle schoolers, a time of angst and confusion. I put very little effort into my schoolwork and my potential for success was not being met. I needed some sort of direction, and my path to success was through music. The shift in my attitude was when I began learning guitar in 8th grade. This was the first time in my life where music became a passion, rather than just something my parents made sure I was doing. Once my passion for creating music began to grow, it was only time before music began paving my course in life. Continuing on with band in high school brought about a lot of band related commitments. By my senior year, I had taken on the jazz band, state solo and ensemble performances, the pit orchestra for musicals, talent show performances, and filling whatever free time was left with jam sessions between my friends and I. My mindset between 8th grade and 12th had completely shifted because of my dedication to music, giving me joy and pride in what I do. The biggest shift had yet to come though, for I had not yet gained the experience that has changed the way I am approaching life from the Spartan Marching Band.

Up until I was in SMB, my marching band experience was rather bland. In high school the sense of passion is lacking. Half the students are forced into staying into band their parents, not realizing how amazing the experience of making music can be. The shift in energy from high school to college marching band was expected, but nonetheless, gave me great joy. The first time sat together as a band and played was revolutionary to me. I could feel the reverberation of the tubas behind me vibrate my body as the rest of the brass members in front of generated the most fluid blend of tones I’ve ever been a part of. There is no forgetting the extreme precision of each drum beat coming from the all talented drumline either. From that moment on it was obvious that the SMB was not just going to an ordinary experience, rather, extraordinary. The passion in each of the members was evident. We didn't want to just be a good music as group, we wanted to be phenomenal.

This brings me to the first realization to coming out of the spartan band: in order to achieve excellence, there must be a strong foundation of support and organization instilled.
Yes, the band can play good, but are all the freshman members at the same marching level? How does everything come together in just one week of practice to make sure the show goes as planned. It didn’t just happen in this week. The show was developed during the off season of football, in which the higher level band members and directors gathered and planned precisely what was going to happen during these shows. They also discuss in great detail what needs to change in the upcoming season in order to make the band better. These practices have been going on for years upon years along with other highly organized practices that make the spartan band run as a well oiled machine. The success of these processes can be seen as the success of Professor Madden, who has been running the SMB for over 30 years, serving as the backbone to this highly organized
organism.

Along with all the organizational matters, Mr. Madden has also put in place an environment where new band members, as well as returning members, feel safe, comfortable, and supported all throughout the season. This can not be said about the band prior to his direction. Many marching bands go through the process of hazing the freshman members, which had many negative effects. It separated the members of the band into groups of freshman and upperclassmen, and created tension rather than creating a supportive environment where new members feel welcomed. He believes that support is key to success, and this was evident from the first minute of freshman orientation. From the minute I walk in the door, there are 3 different squad leaders coming to introduce themselves and ask me what my name is, how things are going, and gave an overall feeling of kindness. The kindness was not just a show either, it was evident in all aspects of marching band. When I was doing something wrong I wasn’t yelled at or shamed, instead, I was given positive feedback and support. They believed that I was good enough and that I could succeed. The mentality is such a large part of the success. If you go into something without a good mentality from lack of support and from getting yelled at put down when you are not succeed at your goals, this will only put you down. A mentality of success and determination can turn your mistakes into an accomplishment.

A good mindset can only get you so far though.
The most important key to success, especially in music, is repetition alongside with determination. This is probably the most difficult part of the entire process, because it entirely relies on your efforts. Preseason is the time in marching band where your willingness to work hard and repeat the same drill over and over again will either bring you success or failure. After the first couple sweat drenched days of preseason, my enthusiasm began to lessen, as thoughts about giving up surfaced upon my brain. It is not easy to wake up every day at 7 in the morning and end the day at 11 at night and keep enthusiasm, but the energy of everybody else around me helped me realize that it can be accomplished. I could have given up and quit, but that would have been taking the easy way out. If everybody else can make it through this week, so can I. So I pushed myself to my limits, tried as hard as I could, did the drill over and over, marched until I was sore, and then kept on
going.

The end result was almost unbelievable. We put together a show in 8 days, a show that my high school band couldn't get close to producing in an entire season of work. As I stood in the tunnel of Spartan Stadium, listening to the excitement of the crowd, catching glimpses of the field from the end of the tunnel, I knew I was part of something greater than myself. The ideals and philosophies that have been put into place by the great Director of this band flow through its members and we achieved the end goal, excellence. It wasn’t just because I did my part, but because everybody did their part. They worked hard, they helped and supported each other, they practiced their parts, did everything in their own power to make the SMB what it is.