Well, it's been a few weeks since I posted last, and a lot of things have happened in that time, so I better get started...

February 4-5 marked the annual NDSU Jazz Festival. This year we hade Al Kay (trombone), Steve Houghton (drums), and Jake Wilkins (saxophone). They are very fine musicians and players, and it was a joy to work with them. That Friday we had the "Rehearsal of Doom" as I like to call it. This was by far the longest jazz rehearsal that I can remember. It was just hard to get grooves going at first, and two and a half hours later me, Al, Christopher, Russ, and Brian went to the Turf to drown our sorrows. It started off with beers, but later on the shots were coming around. I'd say we got cured...

The next day was the actual festival as junior high and high school jazz bands came to play for our clinicians. I did not get to hear much as I was at the registration table the whole morning. That night at the concert we started off with a hit, and kept it up the whole night. We didn't want a performance like we had the previous night at the rehearsal. Christopher got the opportunity to solo with Al Kay, and he played one of the best solos that I have ever heard from him. He got more applause from the audience then when Al Kay did his solo! The whole concert was great, and I can't wait to hear the recording. After the concert a few of us went to Paradiso to help celebrate Eddie's birthday. After that a handful of us went to Al Berg's trailer in extreme south Fargo to have a few drinks. I left at about 2:00 because I was so damn tired. Another Jazz festival down in the yearbook, and it went off with a hit.

This weekend I got to participate in the Intercollegiate Band Festival in Minot. This is where students from different universities and colleges in the state get together for a day and a half, rehearse forever, and put on a concert. Ten of us from NDSU went, and 6 of us got principle spots in our sections, including me. Our pieces included Sleep by Eric Whitacre, The Crosley March by Henry Fillmore, The Gum-sucker's March by Percy Grainger, Serenade by Derek Bourgeois, and They Hung Their Harps in the Willows by Francis McBeth. These were all fun pieces to play, and we made amazing progress with the seven rehearsals we had. Our director, Dr. Gerald King, was amazing. I can honestly say that I got some really good ideas from him that I think I could implement into my conducting and rehearsal.

On Friday night after our last rehearsal me, Pat, Amanda, and Kirsten went to get some drinks to take back to the hotel. When we got there, I went to get some ice and a guy from Valley City was there. He invited me and the rest of my group to hang out with them, so we did. They were a fun bunch. The guy's name is Martin, and he is from Norway. He was an interesting and fun guy to talk to. That night I made a new friend. He said that he would call me and Pat sometime to hang out with us here in Fargo. He says there's not much to do in Valley City.....

Well, that's about it I think. If I come up with anything else I'll get back to this.......