Bird Poop

Well, seeing how a bird decided to use me for target practice today, this blog bears the title "Bird Poop."

I was on my way to the FAC this morning to meet my quintet so we could go to a church in Waterloo to play for their service.  It was a bit rainy out, but I figured, no big deal, I have a coat.  I had just walked under some trees when I felt something land on my head.  My first thought was that it was water that had fallen from one of the trees.  Then I noticed that I was not really under the trees anymore and that a few birds had just flown over me.  Reluctantly I reached my hand up toward my head and discovered that it was, in fact, bird poop.  I was rather annoyed as I had just taken a shower not an hour before.  There wasn't much I could do about it though.  I ended up going to the FAC and washing it out as best I could.  Luckily it wasn't too bad!  Then we went and played for the church.  That was fun.

Other than that today was pretty good.  I lost $10 which was sad, but oh well.  Hopefully it made some one's day when they found it.  I was able to attend the hand bell concert and the jazz band concert today.  All of the groups did really well.  I like going and seeing all the different musical performances on campus.  Even though I am required to go to so many, it is more fun than it is work. 

Going to the different recitals makes me nervous for when it is time to do my own.  I am nervous enough for my jury at the end of this semester.  I only have to play one movement of a song for that.  For a recital I am going to need to learn a lot more literature.  Luckily, I do not have to worry about a recital in the near future.  Another thing coming up in the world of Katie is another audition.  Several of the horn players in Wind Ensemble are studying abroad next semester, so the hornists in the Symphonic Band have been given the opportunity to audition for the open spots. 

I would like to move up to the Wind Ensemble, but I would miss the Symphonic Band if I made it.  I feel like I have really grown close to some of the members in that band and I would miss seeing them as often.  I would like to move up though because I want more of a musical challenge.  I also don't want to play first part anymore.  I'm probably the only person in the world who doesn't want to play first, but I have been on first part, if not first chair, pretty much since I've started playing.  I was the only horn player when I was younger and gradually as I got older, more horn players joined, but I always had more experience so I got placed higher in the section.  Most of the other horn players had switched instruments at some point in their musical careers.  A lot of them were really good players though, and would have easily been able to play first.  Its just the teachers always put me there instead.  The one year that I got to play a part other than first was my sophomore year in high school, and the only reason I got to play a different part is because my teacher would have all the sections switch who is playing first and second and so on so that everyone got to experience the different parts.  Even so, I still played first a lot that year.  I want to play a lower part because it is challenging in a different way.  It would require me to hear harmonies rather than melodies.  It would also be harder to hear because it is lower.  I would have to listen harder and use more air to project even more.  My last few reasons for wanting to be in Wind Ensemble are not as good, but still true.  I am competitive when it comes to music, so I want to be in the "top" band, I want to be able to travel to Japan in a couple of years, and my good friends are both in Wind Ensemble.

So, that's a little of whats going on in my life right now.  Everything from bird poop to music auditions.  Life is never boring!  Next time I blog I will probably be at home celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas, so until then... happy break!