This summer has been a lot slower than I would have liked it to be. I enjoy keeping myself busy and having things to challenge me and keep me intellectually stimulated. Unfortunately, it proved very difficult to find an internship this summer, so I have decided to stay near campus and work with the USC marching band.
We had our most important gig earlier this summer. On the weekend of June 30th, the marching band played with the California Philharmonic Orchestra to kick off their summer festival. On the 30th, we played at the Santa Anita racetrack with Vanessa Carlton. Then, on the 1st of July, we played at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It was a great event to be a part of. Playing in the Walt Disney Concert Hall was one of the most awesome things that I have done. It is such a great hall and the acoustics are amazing from wherever you sit.
California Philharmonic during rehearsal!
At Santa Anita racetrack
Because I am going to be section leader of the trombone section in the band this coming fall, I have been working on recruiting students to join the trombone section for this coming year. At each orientation, there have performances by the band and I have been able to meet several incoming freshmen. So far I have talked to 12 students who will join the section this year.
I think that this will be a great year for the football team and the band, because now that the sanctions are over, we have a chance at going to the National Championships in Miami. I would love a free trip to Miami! We have an amazing team and I am so excited for this season to start.
National Championships!
Outside of band, I just recently moved into the apartment that I will be living in for this school year. I never really appreciated how difficult moving is when you have to move your own furniture, on top of everything else, into an apartment. It is not that fancy of an apartment, but I think that it will be a good fit and is definitely worth the great price.
This weekend, I am traveling with the marching band up to Lake Tahoe to perform for alumni and incoming students from the area. I am looking forward to getting away from the city and being in the mountains. Then, I will head down to Sacramento to perform for alumni and incoming students there, before heading home right outside of Sacramento to spend some quality time with family before school starts. I hope to do some road biking and mountain climbing with my dad and see some high school friends. Los Angeles is such an exciting place to be and I love being here, but I will enjoy being home for awhile.
