Priceless Pennies There are lots of good ways to spend a summer. Stay up all night, sleep until noon, lounge by the pool, watch TV, or spend time with friends before they go back to college. The particularly ambitious might get a job and save up some money (just don’t work too much!) For three years I did none of these things. Instead, I wanted to do something better, something more memorable and meaningful. If I was short on time I would tell you that I am a drummer and I toured with some bands.
“That sounds cool!” you might say.
And it was, believe me, but to put it in such simple terms is the whitest lie I can tell. The reality is slightly less glamorous at face value, but those three summers were no less than life-changing and profound …show more content…
I remember the first time I saw the Bluecoats drumline up close. It was during my rookie year with another group and we were in Stanford getting ready to head to the field for our show. The Bluecoats were just starting their warmup and I was in awe of what I saw and heard. I could find no flaw in anything they did. They played with musicality and finesse, they were aggressive, and just downright cool. They were undeniable. My mind was made up in that very second and I said to myself, “I’m doing that next year, no matter …show more content…
I found transcriptions of their music online and learned it all. Come audition time the following year, I realized that because they had retained so many of their players from the year before they only had two available spots on my instrument, but more than 50 people auditioning from all over the country. I could not let myself back down at this point, and I gave it everything I could over the two months audition process. My hard work finally paid off, and when the dust settled, I had my spot. The summer that followed was unforgettable in so many ways, and I grew immensely as a drummer. I didn’t think my hands could ever move that fast before the summer of 2008. After the first competition with the Bluecoats, new members receive a blue shoelace with a single chain link on it. This represents the bond between each member, and the token is incomplete until the last day of the season. On the morning of the last day, you get a penny with a hole in it to put on your chain link. This is to show how many years you’ve been with the group. It is a rare thing, but if you complete five summers on tour with the Bluecoats, you get a
“That sounds cool!” you might say.
And it was, believe me, but to put it in such simple terms is the whitest lie I can tell. The reality is slightly less glamorous at face value, but those three summers were no less than life-changing and profound …show more content…
I remember the first time I saw the Bluecoats drumline up close. It was during my rookie year with another group and we were in Stanford getting ready to head to the field for our show. The Bluecoats were just starting their warmup and I was in awe of what I saw and heard. I could find no flaw in anything they did. They played with musicality and finesse, they were aggressive, and just downright cool. They were undeniable. My mind was made up in that very second and I said to myself, “I’m doing that next year, no matter …show more content…
I found transcriptions of their music online and learned it all. Come audition time the following year, I realized that because they had retained so many of their players from the year before they only had two available spots on my instrument, but more than 50 people auditioning from all over the country. I could not let myself back down at this point, and I gave it everything I could over the two months audition process. My hard work finally paid off, and when the dust settled, I had my spot. The summer that followed was unforgettable in so many ways, and I grew immensely as a drummer. I didn’t think my hands could ever move that fast before the summer of 2008. After the first competition with the Bluecoats, new members receive a blue shoelace with a single chain link on it. This represents the bond between each member, and the token is incomplete until the last day of the season. On the morning of the last day, you get a penny with a hole in it to put on your chain link. This is to show how many years you’ve been with the group. It is a rare thing, but if you complete five summers on tour with the Bluecoats, you get a