CAN'T GO TO BED... GUESS I'LL BLOG!!

The crazy thing about this season is that it is one third over, and we have only been "back to school" for 3 days!!!! Since I have been blessed/cursed with insomnia this night, I suppose I will embark upon a state of the band blog:

Game overview:

Hello all. I returned from our 21-7 thrashing of Milford a few hours ago. Playoffs are cold but involved audiences are hot!!!! I will always take a win over a loss! The football team is looking inspired and so is the band. I was very pleased with the band's perfirmance. Both in the stands and on the field. The new location of the band closer to the student section has it's ups and downs. One of the big ups is that the students can interact with the members of the band for cheers.... it was very successful in the latter half of the game when the action was hot. The downside is that about 5,000,000 people try to get through on the ground level and complicate things greatly. All in all I think we will try to stay there and make it work. Mr. Paige, our athletic director said that he will assist in diverting civilian traffic to other stairs so that we get less interferrence.


Thanks to Mr. Buckner, Mrs. Shaine (sp?) and all the other folks that helped our passing out the water

Thanks to Sue Baker for being Sue Baker (keep working on the flute chops Sue)

Thanks to the Hubbels and ther Clarks in particular for a wonderful tailgate!

Thanks to Sue Hemond and Joe Provenzano for stalwartly undertaking a new and exciting fundraiser (auctioning/raffling the band). I know this will be a success.

Anyone who taped the show, I would appreciate sending the tape with their child on Tuesday. It would be a great help for the kids to see the show from above so we can correct our mistakes.

Thanks to Jeff stimson for writing KILLER drill and being the angel AND devil on my shoulder.

Thanks to Jim Shouldice for being the exemplary assistant director. A classier, more steady minded, more comepetant, mature, fantastic musician would be very difficult to find. "The Shouldice" is very welcome in Howell.

We have been taking the flags for granted this year because there is NO DRAMA and they ROCK. That is largely because of their fearless instructor, Allison Hardin. She brings home the bacon, fries it up in a pan, writes awesome routines, and puts up with the 3 directors' flatulent humor. She does the impossible and makes it look easy.

Thanks to Brian Riorden, a fantastic spanish teacher and the now OFFICIAL ANNOUNCER for the HHSMB. I never thought that I would have a Carl Grapentine (those of you close to the Michigan Marching Band will know what I mean), but it appears that I do....

Matt Sabin... Crusty but incredible... Keep making the drumline fantastic.

There are literally a hundred other people I should thank, but have forgotten. Please do not be offended. Simply know that children have benefited from your help; that you have touched a young person's life and made it better. If you are one of those young people and have helped me thus far.... either as a minion or outof the goodness of your heart, You are learning an extremely valuable lesson. The lesson is: True happiness comes from serving other people. True satisfaction comes from doing your job well and helping other people. True leadership comes from putting the needs of those you are in charge of over your own.


Marching Band will now settle down into a rhythm. We have weathered an incredible storm. We have performed three times by September 3rd. Our next obstacle shall be homecoming and the looming of marching festival. This is the first time that Howell will be going to marching festival in recent memory. We are hungry for success, and I think we will find it.


THE SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS!!!

Monday, Labor Day: NO practice

Tuesday, 9/7/04 Rehearsal 2:30-3:00 in the band room. Everbody except pipers should be there
Wed, Thurs, and Friday rehearsal AT THE STADIUM from 2:30- 3:30 pm

FRIDAY is our first away game against Novi!!! This is completely optional, but it is a lot of fun. Because of budget constraints, there is no transportation provided by the district. Carpools need to be organized for this trip to Novi High School next friday evening. Admission is free, and the fun will be plentiful!!

Next week starting Wednesday, 9/8/04, audtitions will begin for the Varsity Band, Symphonic Band, and the Wind Ensemble. These auditions will be for a grade, and they will determine chair postitions until the holiday break. Audtion materials have been available since Wednesday, Sept 1, 2004.

The next home game is 9/24/04 This is HOMECOMING!!! If you are an Alum, Email me and let me know that you coming!! I would like to have a full alumni band to join us at the game!!




My Impressions of the classes so far:


The ninth graders are a breath of fresh air!!! I have started calling them the "Little Giants" Because they have so much potential!! I honestly believe that some of the kids could easily make it into wind ensemble right now, but lack the social maturity to pull it off. Who knows where the jumbo shrimp can go this year? I look forward to pushing, molding, and shaping this group of unique and wonderful youngsters.

The symphonic band is ready to roar!! I simply need to get this fantastic group of talented young people to realized how special they are (get these great young people to stop screwing around and perform to the top of their ability level, which is quite high when they are focused). If we can tame these wild horses...we could have a breakout year for this previously malinged unit within the Howell High School Instumental Music Program. We could make everybody forget that this is the middle ensmeble within the program. We could actually bring some hardware home from festival. I know you can do it!

The Wind Ensemble's future is unclear.... Last year we a had a handful of standouts who pulled the band along. I believe that the overall talent level is higher in the group this year than last year, but it is more spread out and the group is much younger. This group could be the greatest thing that Howell has seen in 15 years or the greatest dissapointment in the last 4. I am sounding ominous on purpose... This is a challenge to the members of this group!! I would much rather have hard workers than talented people any day of the week. WE COULD MAKE SUCH INCREDIBLE MUSIC THIS YEAR!!!! This is an invatation to those who are wavering in committment. Let us raise the bar and really make our ensemble shine!!! It could be so easy and spectacular if everybody helps to share the load. Our greatest challenge is complacancy... We need to work harder than last year to achieve similar results. However, if we do work harder, I sincerely feel that we can VASTLY SURPASS the musical and technical standards set by our talented predecessors!

We have begun brainstorming in percussion class! This group is smaller (by design) and no longer is burdened with wind band duty. Thus we are able to focus all of our attention on incredible creative endeavors and bettering ourselves as well rounded percussionists. Expect big things out of this ensemble. I have changed the complexion of this class to allw the creative juices to flow, and for the wonder to begin!

Our new independant study-Music theory-Music and Technology Class has started with a BANG!! It really is an experiment and so far it is a success!for more information about this team taught class, email Jason Smigell at smigellj@howellschools.com

The Jazz Band will begin 2nd quarter! After last year, I think we might try taking the jazz band on the road again!!! This time to MSBOA Jazz festival. This Ensemble is open to ANYONE in the program... EVEN NINTH GRADER$!! In the past we have taken a modern lean on the repertiore selection of this group and I intend to continue the trend. For some reason, the HHSJB loves funk. I love funk.... Why mess with it? This is not to say that the HHSJB will not play swing or blues or latin... We will diversify... maybe even with a little gospel (my new infatuation). But the main focus shall be funk... for now.

I STILL AM TRYING TO DRUM UP ENTUSIASM FOR IRISH FOLK MUSIC!!! I will be talking to the kids about this in the near future...

THERE WILL BE A MUSICAL THIS YEAR.... but we don't know yet what it is.. I will let you know as soon as Ms. Pringle decides. Any way you slice it... There will be a pit band!!


OK... I think that that is it!!! Sometimes it takes a long time to get the blog out, but the following blog is enormous. It have not been this excited about the start of the year since my first year here (I mean it!!) The boundries truly are governed by the STUDENTS within the program.

Mr. Smigell


P.s. MINIONS... CHECK THE MINION'S BLOG!!!