Westlake Marching Festival 2008

[CP*Trumpet_Belle]

Park and bark just doesnt seem like a very nice way to put it in my opinion. It sounds kinda harsh. Barking infers it didnt sounds good, or atleast to me it does, and thats a bit offensive. We do halt a few times, but that doesnt mean we're just halting and blasting the crap out of it. They are our "moments" and it'd be appreciative if you didnt "downgrade" it like the way you put it. We try really hard to make it sound good but at the same time play loud. Its not impossible to sound good and play loud. So barking just in my opinion, wouldnt be the best way to put it.

[CPFrntEns]

  treblemaker said:

I'm sure it all goes along with the effect they are trying to achieve.

 

That's basically it. The show's called On Edge, so its edgy, loud, agressive music (with good sound quality). Thus, since brass does this best, the show is mostly brass dominated.

 

EDIT: Dang, you beat me to it TRUMPet

 

Let's get off this subject though.

 

If there's any people from bands that performed late in prelims, was your band affected by the sun? I'm in Pit, so I wouldn't know, but apparently our wind players were very bothered by the sun. We performed at 5:00 so the sun was fairly low on the horizen shining right into our eyes.

Edited October 12, 2008 by CPFrntEns

[Xenon]

Having an edge on your sound on a brass instrument means that you have gone beyond good sounds and are teetering on the brink of having a completely unacceptable sound. This is NOT something that you want to be going for.

 

  TRUMPet said:

And as a side note, being eaisly one of the louder trumpets (or at least i stick out too much in impacts) blowing that much makes you light headed.

Sticking out is not something to be proud of.

[Liquid Midget]

Congrats to all the participating bands at Westlake. And way to go Round Rock.

[Clarinot]

  CPFrntEns said:

it's because one of our band directors mentioned it briefly and people were told that BOA Arlington results were here.

 

 

Which director mentioned it?

[CPFrntEns]

  Clarinot said:

Which director mentioned it?

 

 

pape

[treblemaker]

It may be too late for that I'm afraid...

[Liquid Midget]

  CPFrntEns said:

First off I want to say TRUMPet is not proud of sticking out, and I specifically remember times where he's told one student in particular this is not something to be proud of. Secondly, Liquid Magnet you completely twisted his words:

 

 

 

He was talking about how we learn to play loud with a good sound. He meant that we play really loud, fix the tone, then play even louder, fix the tone again, until we're very loud and still with a good sound NOT that we play really loud with a bad sound over and over and over again throughout the show. Thirdly, the show does have its woodwind moments, so stop nagging about how the woodwinds are being neglected. They're featured a little less then previous years, big whoop. And fourth, the halts make sense musically and we make up for any time we stand still with very fast marching.

 

Now can we please get back on topic and talk about the competition itself, not an analysis of our show?

 

playing really loud, then play even louder will always produce a bad sound. there is a point that you cant fix the tone again. its just loud and gross. you cant just keep cranking the volume. And i wasn't nagging about the woodwinds. yes they do have moments. i simply said that the show was MOSTLY i repeat MOSTLY dominated by brass.

 

also i didn't twist his words. I only highlight key flaw points in his argument.

 

now i would be more than happy to resume festival talk. but if the members of cedar park cant be humble and except a little constructive criticism and let people express their opinion (which is the point of a public forum) then that's just too bad.

 

congrats to CP but if some of the members have a problem with people exorcising their right to free speech..... need i say more?

 

this is me exorcising my right to free speech. in no way have i ever tried to bash or twist anyone's words.

[CPFrntEns]

I have no problem with your right of free speech I was just pointing out how you misinterpreted his words. Maybe "twist his words" was the wrong phrase. I guess we can just agree to disagree on our opinion of our show. Let's just drop this whole thing and return to talking about the festival.

 

What was your favorite show there?

[Liquid Midget]

personally i didn't get to see that many people perform so its hard to say.

[CPFrntEns]

Hey, you're part of the "three-isms" show. You played Hungarian Rhapsody, right? We played that last year. Brought back some memories.

[Liquid Midget]

ya that's one of my favorite pieces.

[CPFrntEns]

When I first started learning Hungarian Rhapsody, I thought, "You gotta be kidding me. This sounds rediculous." By the end of the year, I loved it.

[actualgirltrombone]

I really wanted to be able to see Westlake's show! While we were walking out, I saw their little carnival horsey type props, so I asked a Westlake parent what the show was. Tim Burton goes to the Circus sounds like it must be absolutely hardcore and I reallllly want to see a video now.

[Liquid Midget]

ya Westlake's show was pretty cool.

[Danpod]

  actualgirltrombone said:

Tim Burton goes to the Circus sounds like it must be absolutely hardcore and I reallllly want to see a video now.

 

IT scared the crap out of me when I was a youngin'.

[Liquid Midget]

yes dude. holy crap. i saw that when i was about 8 and clowns and i have never been the same.

[cppicc]

so, what is their show all about? i haven't seen it yet, and i'm kinda confused...

[treblemaker]

  cppicc said:

so, what is their show all about? i haven't seen it yet, and i'm kinda confused...

 

 

Westlakes' show is a carnival theme. Through the different movements they explore different parts of the carnival. The ballad is in the "fun house" and they have giant mirror like props to symbolize that. Another movement alternates have those horses from the carousal as a prop. I really enjoyed their show a lot. It was fun.

[cppicc]

that sounds really really cool!

thanks for letting me know

I really want to see it now

[mnkyman663]

Ooooh, I have a friend who carries around one of those horses and and does something with a mirror...I've wanted to see their show ever since he started talking about it this past summer. I guess we'll just have to wait until after BOA san antonio and state and ppl start posting on youtube, now won't we?

[musicaidnow]

Go Cedar Park!!

Edited October 13, 2008 by musicaidnow

[TRUMPet]

Hey i just want to appologize if ive offended any one. I got a little carried away in the thread and i really shouldnt have taken it where i did.

[CPFrntEns]

Same as TRUMPet, that got way out of hand, and I apologize

[aaron067]

I'm confused as to why so many people are dogging on Cedar Park. Have they not come out ahead of every other band in Ensemble Music or overall music at both of their contests? Didn't one of those include Marcus? There must be something there that degreed professionals hear and like. Obviously they still have a few things to correct, but it's still only the second week of contest. I saw some great bands at Westlake, and all of them deserve credit where credit is due.

 

Visually, I think they also have one of the most demanding shows as well, so comments like "park and bark" and "too many halts" are a bit unjustified. As members of their organization have mentioned, the halts that are included in the show are appropriate for the music that's being played, and isn't that the most important aspect of marching band? The playing?

 

I certainly will not accuse anyone of this, but it sounds as if there are some sour grapes. While I do have my favorites, I'm routing for all bands to perform well. You all know how much blood, sweat, and tears are put into this activity, and I think everyone deserves to be supported (not critiqued) by their high school peers. Students can't do much with "helpful comments" anyway; that's the responsibility of judges and directors.

 

On a side note, I was very impressed with Dripping Springs last night. I've never had a chance to see them perform, and I have to say that I was very pleasantly. As an up-and-coming 4A program, they represented themselves well.