Regardless...

[debka_notion]

I may not be in any sort of decent practice on trombone anymore, but back row of the orchestra habits hold. I found out just before rehearsal that it wasn't happening, so I went to the Company B concert instead, with Dave, and proceeded to fall directly into my old habit of little critical remarks about everything. Dave thought I hadn't enjoyed. And while a capella is not my favorite sort of music, much of this was very good, quality-wise. But a capella audiences don't behave like ones in more formal musical settings, which makes me impatient. That sort of thing. Some habits just don't fade. And it is amusing- and I rather think it surprises people: it's not how I usually talk, I don't think. I'm sort of disappointed with myself for missing almost all of brass ensemble this semester, but other things just seem to have outstaged it in the priorities department. I enjoy it, and at least it's some musical activity- but it was pretty lackluster last semester, and this semester wasn't shaping up to do much better after the first couple of weeks, which happened late because until I started agitating to start rehearsing, no one else scheduled a rehearsal. I'll probably try again in the fall, but somehow I don't feel like making it my baby, with Sol-etc gone. Unless that group gets an injection of good and enthusiastic freshmen, it isn't going to go anywhere at all next semester. And I think I'll have my hands full with BORG and dance stuff, since Matt and I want to start doing some IFD on campus. That very well might be enough for me as far as things that are my first priorities.

I've always wondered at how a capella seems like its own little culture. It's got it's own personalities, codes of behavior both for the performers and the audience... I guess any performance form becomes that way. But I've never understood a capella- it's such a college phenomemnon. It's such a big deal on campuses, and elsewhere it isn't very much at all, as far as I can tell.