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Alaska Bands, BOA Finals & Avon Haters: A Marching Arts Reality Check
178 Plays4 days ago
Your All-Access Pass to the Marching Arts.
This week, Ricardo and Trish welcome two standout guests:
Kenai Central High School Band Director Christian Stefanos (@akbanddirector) — whose band traveled from Alaska to BOA Grand Nationals — and TikTok creator & performer Taylor Greatbatch (@greatbatchofcookies).
Christian breaks down what it took to build a marching band from scratch, fundraise across a state the size of a continent, and take a small-town Alaska program onto the national stage in Indianapolis. Taylor shares what it’s like teaching in one of Kentucky’s lowest-income districts, why BOA experiences matter for rural kids, and how marching band shaped their entire career across theater and performance.
Then the whole panel dives into a packed NEWS segment featuring:
• BOA Grand Nationals Finals breakdown
• DCI 2025 schedule
• HBCU Band of the Year finalists
• 2025 Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Parade bands
• 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup
Christian takes on the 60-Second Tech Block with “How to Build a Marching Band From the Ground Up.” Taylor unleashes a viral-worthy rant about Broadway-level marching band shows (“I should not have to have a PhD to understand your marching band show, girl!”), and Ricardo drops a scorched-earth message to the Avon haters who have been trashing kids online after BOA Finals.
The episode closes with a heartfelt Gush & Go, including:
• The Spartans preparing for the Macy’s Parade
• Christian’s students getting national love
• Ricardo’s district-wide arts expos inspiring the next generation
• Kentucky band programs celebrating major milestones
Hosts:
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall (@ricardorrobinson)
Trish O’Shea (@trishdish1002)
Guests:
Christian Stefanos — Kenai Central High School Band (@akbanddirector)
Taylor Greatbatch (@greatbatchofcookies)
Presented by:
Guard Closet — gear, education & design for the marching arts
Peak Group Travel (@peak.group.travel) — group travel done right
If you’re not listening to On A Water Break… what are you even doing?
Recommended
Transcript
Welcome & Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey everyone, and welcome back to On A Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal on a water break. This week, we are thankful for new friends.
00:00:12
Speaker
We'll also find out what made Taylor say. They really get off on just like re-watching performances from years past. Like, I'll tell you what, when I watch Faust, when I watch anything from 1999, like ninety s drum girl.
00:00:26
Speaker
And why Christian said, i was like, you can watch after you push stuff on the field, but I got 29 kids and a whole bunch of jobs. So step up. I'll listen more on this week's episode of on a Water Break.
00:00:42
Speaker
Aight off the mat and go. Welcome to On a Water Break. The podcast where we talk everything marching arts.
00:00:55
Speaker
Everyone, bring it in. It's time for a water break. Hey, everyone.
Episode Goals & Engagement
00:01:01
Speaker
It's Ricardo. Well, we have a fun episode this week. We're going to share memories of a great band season with some old friends as well as some new friends.
00:01:12
Speaker
But before we see who's on the sidelines this week, go and subscribe on your favorite listening app. Write us a review. Share with a friend. And if you've got a question or a good topic to talk about, email us at onawaterbreaks at gmail.com or find us on social media and DM us if you want to be on the show.
00:01:31
Speaker
We even have a form now to fill out if you want to be a guest. Check it out at our link in the bio. So who's on the sidelines this week, Trish? Hi.
00:01:43
Speaker
Hey, girl. Hi. and I mean, you know, it's good, Trish. I mean, I hadn't seen you in a hot minute. In a hot minute because we got through Bandtober. We got through band notete Bandvember.
00:01:54
Speaker
We got through all of that. So now chill time here. So, you know, obviously starting winter, but, you know, it's not a quite as hectic as Marching Band.
Surviving Bandtober & Retirement
00:02:05
Speaker
So everything good here.
00:02:08
Speaker
You know, here's the funny thing. i I thought that in my first year of retirement from being a high school color guard director that like, oh, my October and my November would be so much more free and open.
00:02:20
Speaker
No, I think I saw more marching band this year than I have in the last 30 years of teaching. Well, because you could actually watch. ah Well, I was judging. so and you not just judging in my own head, I was getting a paycheck for judging this year. I was going to say, girl, you've always been judging.
00:02:39
Speaker
i She always judges, honey. But you know, that's right i i was a little coin for it this year, which was nice. Even better. Even better.
00:02:50
Speaker
Absolutely.
Alaskan Band Adventures
00:02:51
Speaker
So you know what, Trish, I think it's time for us to not have this conversation with ourselves, but to figure out the people who are on the sideline this week. So this person is someone who we've all wanted to have on the show ever since he found out that his band was traveling all the way to Indianapolis, Indiana for Grand Nationals from aliasska that's a a a s Alaska. Alaska.
00:03:19
Speaker
Please welcome Kanai Central High School Band Director Christian Stefanos. kristen and you oh And you know, k Christian, I'm probably going to play the applause sound a lot. Did you see the Simpsons movie?
00:03:35
Speaker
Did you ever see the Simpsons movie when they moved to Alaska and the Homer tells the kids, clap for Alaska, clap for Alaska. So probably every time you say Alaska, I'm probably going to clap.
00:03:50
Speaker
I mean, Christian, i first of all, I need for you to understand the fact that theyre like we have a group chat, just like everyone else in the world, but there's like a group chat for On a Water Break, and there's like messages that pop in and out all the time. And usually there are messages that happen like as I'm doing something, I'm either at work,
00:04:10
Speaker
or I'm at home not wanting to think about anything, or in this case, I was judging marching band. And I get this like notification that's like, oh my God, guys, check out this band that's coming from Alaska.
00:04:24
Speaker
And i love that. um And the first thing I was like, Trish will vouch for me when I said, there's marching band in Alaska?
00:04:36
Speaker
You did say that. like I need for you to elaborate. Even before we start your 32-count story, there's marching band in Alaska.
00:04:48
Speaker
Yeah, there is. There's a few of us now. There's three main ones that are pretty much every year. It's us, Colony High School, who actually went to Grand Nationals in 2015, and then Wasilla High School. And ah there's a couple of small ones sporadically throughout the state, but kind of hit or miss whether they're going to have a season or not.
00:05:09
Speaker
But yeah. I have so many questions. First, I mean, okay. So my first question, you know what? Hold on. I'm going to get into all of that in a minute. Let's do
Life Stories in 32 Counts
00:05:20
Speaker
this.
00:05:20
Speaker
Christian, I need to know all about you because you are a band director in Alaska. These are things that I never thought existed. So I need to know everything about you. I want to do a 32 count life story with you.
00:05:34
Speaker
Don't know if you listen to our podcast or not, but we do this thing with all of our guests the first time they're on. You're going to tell us your life story in 32 counts. We're going to give you eight off the mat. You're going to go tell us everything from birth until you logged on to this podcast today. Are you down for that?
00:05:52
Speaker
Sounds good. All right. Here we go. Trish, give me the mat.
00:06:01
Speaker
right. So I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. I was born there. i went to school in Kennesaw at Harrison High School. I did my undergrad and master's at Georgia State University.
00:06:13
Speaker
I marched with the Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010. And then I did two seasons at the Cadets in 12 and 13. When I was doing my master's degree, I was also getting my education certification.
00:06:26
Speaker
And I was student teaching when COVID shut everything down. And I was literally sitting in my office going, I wonder if they have band in Alaska because I like snow and Georgia kind of stinks.
00:06:37
Speaker
And I Google searched if if there was band in Alaska, there was a position. i thought COVID just shut everything down. There's no way I'm getting this job, but I'm just looking for a job. And interview experience is great.
00:06:50
Speaker
And then I got the job and had to move across the continent when COVID shut everything down. And here I am, six six years later, five years later. Wow.
00:07:01
Speaker
Wow. Okay, so first, shout out to Georgia, because, you know, I moved to Florida from Georgia. I was teaching at McEachern High School back in the day. So neighbors with Harrison actually um worked at the Banana Republic right across the street from Harrison High School. So at the East Cobb Town Center.
00:07:23
Speaker
But Alaska, like, i i first of all, I did not know, is there football in Alaska? Like, does that exist? Is that a thing? Yeah, there is football. We have all the sports. I actually coach our baseball team, too. That's my one of many hats. Oh, wow. how but um Get out get out of here. You're youre your marching game and coaching the baseball team in Alaska. mike this is These are too many variables and elements that I'm just not ready for.
00:07:53
Speaker
How big is the marching band scene in Alaska? Like how big is the scene? Like I'm, I'm in New Jersey with the U S band circuit, you know, there's bands, there's open bands. They have to split everything in half. Cause there's so many bands. Like what's the, what, like what's this, what's the scene like in Alaska?
00:08:11
Speaker
It's not great, especially for somebody coming from in the southeast where you're at every football game. um But it's growing and it's it's gotten better. and you know That was one of the main reasons I took the band to Green Nats was to be like, look, you guys, you can you can do band in Alaska, so do ah do a marching band.
00:08:32
Speaker
Let's go. I'm going to ask, how many kids are in your program? i'm gonna ask how many kids are in your program um So I teach middle and high school. And so my entire band program is about 200.
00:08:45
Speaker
My high school is about 75. that Do you take, are the middle schoolers in the marching band? ah Yes. Normally, like until this year, it was a pretty heavy split of middle schoolers.
00:08:58
Speaker
um But this year we only marched four, which was
Impact of Marching Band in Kentucky
00:09:01
Speaker
pretty awesome to finally see. Yeah, that's really cool, actually. Wow. i I am just floored and enamored and i i want to know more. We're going to come back.
00:09:18
Speaker
we're going to circle back because I don't want to leave our other guests on the sidelines for too long. Joining us is the TikTok sensation known as Great Batch of Cookies, Taylor Great Batch. Welcome, Taylor. Hello. how are we doing? Hello.
00:09:36
Speaker
Hey friend, how are ya? I'm good, I'm dandy, I'm tired, ugh, but I'm good. You know girl, that post, BOA energy, state is done nationals is done, mid-states are done, everything's done.
00:09:53
Speaker
Everything's done, but yet it's all starting again. And it is all starting again. what do you know? Here we are. so Taylor, know- It literally like we were just here though, too.
00:10:06
Speaker
Like last year, starting indoor and just getting done. All the kids are in there pre getting ready for drum corps auditions and talking about the dues, et cetera. It just, yeah the cycle never stops.
00:10:19
Speaker
it it It does not ever stop. um Taylor, you know, before we get going in this podcast, I want to do the same thing because I want our listeners to learn a little bit about Taylor Greatbatch. So, you know the gist, 32 count life story. You're going to get eight counts off the Met and then you're going to tell us your life as it is from birth up until you logged on to the podcast. Are you ready for that?
00:10:47
Speaker
and Absolutely. I've got my notes. As you can tell, it's really okay if you go over. Right. Yeah. George. I'm not really taking that hard. All right. You ready for this Taylor?
00:11:00
Speaker
Yeah, let's do it. All right, here we go.
00:11:07
Speaker
Okay. So I was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. I spent a lot of my middle school and high school days in Paris, Kentucky, where I did band theater, journalism, tv studio, school news, all of the artsy fartsy stuff. I went to governor school for the arts in theater while I was there.
00:11:26
Speaker
ah in high school that is, um which kind of propelled me and convinced me that I could go to school for my art form. And at that time, instead of band, it ironically was theater. I went to school at both CCM and NKU, studied musical theater, drama, stage management, and a little bit of electronic media.
00:11:46
Speaker
then lived up in New York City and did the theater scene as all theater majors do. um And yeah, while I was up there, I worked for Inside Broadway, Main State Music Theater, Dream Yard Project, PPAS, SoulCycle, the American Theater Wing. I'm an actor that's in the Actors' Equity. I've done some random shows all over the place. Yeah. um But yeah, I've done Springboard NYC. I'm part of the Broadway Dreams Foundation. And then, let's see, COVID hit.
00:12:17
Speaker
COVID hit, and moved back to Kentucky, and I got back to doing marching band again. um My high school actually did a show during COVID. We did a socially distanced and masked um show. And then that kind of just got me back into the marching band scene because I was doing ah the theater scene up in the Broadway world up in New York, and I needed something to do. And one of my friends that was directing the band, and that just kind of got me back into it these last five, six years. And yeah, the the kids that just graduated this year, i started as seventh graders um marching during the pandemic. So this year specifically at BOA was very emotionally draining just because it's so some special kids in my heart. Oh, But yeah, done a bunch of done a bunch of random things. Got my hips replaced this year. i'm a cycling instructor, a freelance artist here in Kentucky, just making things work post-COVID. So, yeah.
00:13:13
Speaker
Wow. Wow.
00:13:17
Speaker
I knew we were kindred soul sisters from the sign-on. The moment he said theater. The moment he theater, were Yeah, the moment you said theater, I was like, oh, that's why I like Taylor so much. It's because we're both theater queens. I love it. And small town country queens. I love that.
00:13:38
Speaker
Heck yeah. You know, guys, both of you are here today and we are getting to know you as we are closing out this wonderful season of on a water break podcast.
00:13:48
Speaker
And we have so many things to talk about. But before we get into all of that, I want everyone to take this time to preview some of our awesome weekly episodes and bonus content that we have going on. So you should give a listen to the episode that Nicole did with Taylor and Haley, breaking down all things BOA, PASIC and more.
00:14:11
Speaker
And child, if you missed the episode that Jeremy and I did with the one and only Latrice Royale, You need to listen to it immediately. My sides are still in recovery. As a matter of fact, i have to go to the doctor tomorrow to get them checked out because I laugh so hard.
00:14:28
Speaker
And also, Becca Anderson and Stephanie Furness Just the Position Winter Guard join Joey and Jackie for an inside look at all things that is happening just the.
00:14:38
Speaker
But we will be back with you in just a moment for more On a Water Break.
00:14:53
Speaker
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00:15:08
Speaker
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00:15:22
Speaker
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00:15:34
Speaker
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00:15:46
Speaker
Have listened to our podcast on a water break? Weekly episodes and bonus content keep you entertained and informed with what's going on in the marching arts. For over 25 years, Guard Closet has been here to help.
00:15:59
Speaker
Check us out at guardcloset.com or follow us on social media.
00:16:13
Speaker
Welcome back to On A Water Break. We are here with our friends Taylor and Christian. And you know what, guys? I just want to take a couple minutes and just chat about your whole BOA experience this year.
00:16:28
Speaker
I'm going to preference this with saying I have worked for the Bands of a Miracle organization 23 years now. And I have never... never made it to a Grand Nationals championship.
00:16:42
Speaker
I know. I know. Exactly. My jaw drops too. i Every year, ever since I've been in Florida, which has been the last 17 years, 16, 17 years, um I have not been able to go because it's always it always falls like on our championships for Florida.
00:16:59
Speaker
um And even back when I was in Georgia and Mississippi, there was always something else happening at the same time that I've never tried. I know it sucks. So I just, I like, i I want to know what it's like Christian, like for you taking a band from Alaska to Grand Nats, like what, how did you fundraise? Like what, what was this entire process like
Fundraising for Grand Nationals
00:17:24
Speaker
for you?
00:17:24
Speaker
So when I took the job, the second year I was there was when we decided, well, I decided we were going to have a marching band. We'd had a drum line and a color guard for like 10 years They called it marching band. Being from the South, drumlining, color guard, it's not marching band.
00:17:42
Speaker
We got to add the win section. And so in year one, I told the kids in year five, we're going to go to a competition. And we started building and and and kind of building everything towards going to some sort of competition in year five.
00:17:55
Speaker
And last year, towards the middle of the season, like, well, if we're going to go to a contest next year, and i have to fly anyways. why don't we go to the biggest one? And, you know, I grew up in the BOA system.
00:18:09
Speaker
um I love what they represent and I love the shows and how they're they're um carried out and everything. but we started last year at the end of marching band season. We started fundraising, you know, do the typical vertical raise, snap raise thing. And we have a Taco Tuesday that we do every year.
00:18:28
Speaker
dessert auctions, car washes, you will kids mowing people's lawns for to pay off their fees and stuff. Anything and everything we could think of to kind of get the funds. Because when you have almost no budget, you got to kind of figure out funny ways to get the money.
00:18:45
Speaker
And then, yeah. It's amazing. That is amazing. I mean, it's just, it's mind blowing to me. And Taylor, I know,
00:18:56
Speaker
Kentucky is not very far from Indianapolis because it is a neighboring state. But, I mean, you work at a 1A school, and there's challenges that come along with that as well. Like, what was the process like for you guys getting back to to the Grand Nats?
00:19:14
Speaker
Girl, first and foremost, we have had seasons in the past where we have been almost to the state finals competition, and people are asking – what what are your props going to be done? And I'm like, girl, they're done. That's all we got.
00:19:28
Speaker
That's all we got. like you know, that's a whole nother conversation in itself about props and what they look like and the expensiveness of all of them. And that's going to be my, what are we doing? But go ahead.
00:19:44
Speaker
All right. um But yeah, no. All right. this The special thing about the school that I grew up with and or grew up in and that I've been on staff with, I've been on staff with ah quite a few other bands in the area, but mainly my high school, my alma mater, has been home base.
00:20:03
Speaker
And it is a very low demographic in the state of Kentucky. It's one of the poorest demographics in the state. It's one of the most underpaid for the education in in the education system, and they struggle to even get bus drivers.
00:20:19
Speaker
But over the years, it has been banned, has been a very, just very good stake in the arts in this county and in this community. And it has been something that has given people hope. I know that there is not a lot for kids where I grew up to do. like You either are going to go to school for something and you you don't know what you're going to go to school for, or you're and just going to go out into the workforce. and So for people to have experiences out of the the city is a big thing. So doing band was awesome because these kids, our students, we've we've gotten to take them all over the place. I remember some of my favorite competitions were like
00:21:00
Speaker
When I went to BOA Grand Nationals or when we went to the Tournament of Champions over in the Carolinas and got to see Western Carolina University perform, like they are just insane. And when you are from a town of 5,000 or less and then you get to do all of these cool experiences and meet students that are just like you, it's it's very...
00:21:24
Speaker
It's world-changing, and we in our state, even though we are not the craziest and most exotic state in the world, we're very prideful in what we do, and we won some state championships in our division and some national championships as I was growing up in school, and it kind of...
00:21:42
Speaker
quote-unquote put us on the map in our state. And its just it's been neat to see where people in my program have gone. I feel like band kind of set me up for success. And not only wasn' it my band director, but it was just the the program in itself.
00:21:58
Speaker
This activity we do, it really it requires a lot from... every single person involved and there's no weak link in the program. You know, you need every single person to make it one huge thing. And I feel everything that I took from marching band kind of took me into my entire freelancing career. I always talk about marching band. I always brag about it. And my students now are like, oh, you're just a big band geek. And I'm like, yeah, I am a big band geek, but also it made me who I am today. it gave me the personality that I have. It allowed me to perform in ways that i don't always get to perform. And I think that's lovely to see how it's kind of evolved and acquired lots of different parts of my career. And that's why it's so fun for me now. So yeah, kind of this is what we were doing, but you know,
00:22:46
Speaker
You know, as as someone who is a product of small town America and knowing the power of what being a member of a marching band does and now being an advocate for those programs and being a supervisor for programs in a larger school district, in a larger city, you know, there's something to be said about coming from those humble towns where, the band program really is the glue that holds the town together.
00:23:18
Speaker
And I love... the sentiment when you see a vast majority of band programs in small towns, they're usually called the pride of our name here.
00:23:31
Speaker
You what saying? And it's like, when you really take, take a step back and you think about being the pride of something that has, that has weight to it. And I grew up small town, Mississippi,
00:23:46
Speaker
town of 5,000 or less people. You know, the marching band was the biggest thing around. i wound up teaching that marching band program for years. I taught the neighboring two high schools that were also small towns and they were the pride of those towns. And I can remember being at band rehearsals and on Thursday nights and the entire town coming out to band rehearsal to watch.
00:24:10
Speaker
Because there was nothing else going on. And it literally was a thing that they were very proud of. And seeing that. For you two, like, understanding it and doing this on a national stage, especially you, Christian, in such a vast vastly diverse world, like...
00:24:32
Speaker
How does that make you feel to know that you have all of the support system from a small town pushing your band students forward and advocating for your program?
00:24:42
Speaker
Yeah. So it's been it's been kind of a I won't say a struggle, but it's just such a new activity up here that they just didn't know what to expect.
00:24:54
Speaker
And so it took a lot of trust in our community and in me to take this idea and be like, we're just going to trust our band director. He hopefully knows what he's talking about. and And trusting me to take their kids halfway across the continent and do something they had never seen before. And I think the coolest thing for me outside of seeing my kids see what the activity is, was getting to see their parents who went on the trip with us get to see all these band parents and what they do and see what these bands are doing on the field and how a competition works. And, you know, that we're, we're still in our building phase, but that we're headed in the right direction. That's been the coolest thing for me.
00:25:39
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:25:41
Speaker
You touched on something that warms my heart. And it's it's the whole band parent side of this thing. And when people talk to me and like the programs in my school district talk about like where how to build a program, the first thing that I tell them is it starts with the parents.
00:26:01
Speaker
It starts, one, the parents have to trust the directors to be able to let their kids go off and do this whole thing, but they have to be there. They have to be present and supporting that.
Parent Involvement in Bands
00:26:13
Speaker
And when you come from small towns like both of you do, like you said, Christian, you took your kids and you put them on the national stage first.
00:26:24
Speaker
You know, you started on the national stage, but those parents got to see these well-known band programs. that are run by these amazing parents, how does that shape the future and your planning for what's going to happen next with your program? Both Taylor and Christian talk on this for me.
00:26:44
Speaker
Taylor, you want to go ahead? Yeah, sure. So for my program this year especially, it was really essential because this was a really small senior class and just band support can always kind of like fluctuate, you know?
00:26:59
Speaker
And this year, the parents, we had a lot of newbie parents and they were just all in. They had no idea what they were doing. They didn't care. They were like, we're here because we know that that we've gone through a lot of band director changes and we've gone through a lot of stress and like, let's let's just figure it out.
00:27:15
Speaker
They were so excited just to be there at Grand Nationals at prelims. And it was early for our prelims performance. We were one of the first bands to go on on Thursday. And it's probably the earliest I think we've ever gone on in school history. But it was so humbling. And it was so it was just exciting and exhilarating because it was like, we got to help be part of waking up BOA this year. And the parents got to see and learn like what it's like from being like being inside your cones to like following all the little, like the little like places to go and whatnot to go and all the timings and like, no, we don't, we need you to be here. And it was just fun to like, get to see them learn from other groups and see just how common collected some of these programs are. Yeah.
00:28:02
Speaker
Because, you know, some of us like little bitty groups, we're like, we feel like we've got so much to prove and blah, blah, blah. And then you get to see some of these programs that they just, they do this. And it's, it's just, a it's just ease. And it's, it's, it's getting to learn from that and wanting to translate that into your students and allow them to know that like, Hey, yeah, this is all competition and stuff. But at the end of the day, we can do this and we can have fun and we can breathe while doing it. You know, we can do it.
00:28:34
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think my parents believed me when I told them that they were going to be putting props and percussion stuff on the field. So they were like, do you mean we don't get to watch? was like, you can watch after you push stuff on the field, but we got 29 kids and a whole bunch of props. So step up.
00:28:52
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely miss that. and And it's that camaraderie. It is that that feeling of family that travels on. It's just, it's such a great thing.
00:29:03
Speaker
Listen, I could sit here and talk to you guys all day long about all the wonderful things that you have done. But it is time for us to now get into the news.
00:29:18
Speaker
It's time for us to now get into the
00:29:34
Speaker
So Christian, you know what? Since you, sir, made your BOA Grand Nationals debut, and I am going to pretty much say
Grand Nationals Results & Reflections
00:29:43
Speaker
that you traveled the furthest to Grand Nationals this year, you get to talk to us about BOA results. All right.
00:29:53
Speaker
So I'll start at the bottom. And so rounding out finals was Bentonville High School from Arkansas, which I thought their their show was by far the coolest. as As a visual designer as well, I thought it was beautiful.
00:30:07
Speaker
And you know a lot of band directors were like, I don't want to ever see sequins on the field. That was amazing. And then the back of their uniform was black. It was so gorgeous. Who said that? Who said I don't want to see sequins? I will fight I will fight you. I have heard of that. character Glitter the best color. A lot of band directors in my time. with That's... I don't know about glitter, but... se with it Now, glitter is my favorite color.
00:30:35
Speaker
Glitter, shiny, sequins, lame, shiny is my favorite color. The bands in Kentucky this year that had the shiny, people loved them. Regardless of the placements, people talked about the uniforms, honey.
00:30:48
Speaker
Okay. If you know, you know. and If you ain't got a little bit of sparkle in there, go home. What are you doing?
00:30:58
Speaker
So above Bentonville was Wando High School, another gorgeous show. We had William Mason High School, and then Dripping Springs High School, Blue Springs High School, Marcus High School, Ronald Reagan High School, the Woodlands High School, Broken Arrow High School, which shout out to their tuba player. That was sick. I was sitting on the front front sideline watching that. It was amazing.
00:31:24
Speaker
Carmel High School was in third. laer my Flower Mound High School in second, and then Avon High School took it all. And shout out to Avon, who welcomed us to their rehearsal when we got into town in Indy and wow treated my kids amazingly. Bought them donuts and hot chocolate because, surprisingly, it was cold, even for my kids, and they were shivering. So the hot chocolate was very... I have been watching all the clips. i I was...
00:31:54
Speaker
running the FFCC c championships over the weekend. So I did not get to watch live. And it was funny because in the On a Water Break group chat, it was my phone was buzzing all day long from everyone watching live.
00:32:09
Speaker
And the people that were in the stands watching it happen and giving live commentary. It just seemed like it was a great year for BOA. Like all the clips that I've seen, it's just...
00:32:22
Speaker
It's the camaraderie of the kids, that picture that's circulating right now with the student from, was it Flower Mound and Carmel? Carmel, yeah.
00:32:37
Speaker
With the fist bump across the the line. like That's awesome. It was breathtaking. Breathtaking. Like, this is what it's about. Like, sure, it's a competitive activity, but man, at the end of the day, it's kids and it's doing the thing that we all love. And we're such a niche little pocket of life that we got to we got to get along and we got to support each other and we got to recognize... and know that like Yes, the 12 bands that made the finals were the top 12, but like really, the top 50 are still amazing. And the top 100 after that are still putting it in the work. And the 200 after that are still worthy of our praise.
00:33:21
Speaker
by I want to celebrate everybody. But... I got to move on. Trish, you got some DCI news for us? I do. So was big day um this week when the DCI schedule was released. And it was really cool to see on that day um all the Drum Corps social media accounts right away posted where they were going.
00:33:47
Speaker
So that was really, really cool to see. But the first thing that I went to look at was i know we all heard a few months ago that the Bluecoats are the ones that are doing the California tour this summer. So when the schedule came out, I looked immediately to see. So when's their California debut? And it is actually, they will go head to head up against the Blue Devils in Oxford, California on Thursday, July 2nd. We'll be there. Yeah. California debut.
00:34:18
Speaker
And that's something everybody's going to have on their radar and looks like it's going to be, you know, another really exciting summer and it's going be, you know, there's going to be a really good, a lot of good stuff. Looking forward to seeing it all.
00:34:33
Speaker
I, I've got to miss California tour this summer. Because I want to tell all of our listeners, listen, if you have not been able to do the Drum Corps West Coast Tour and do California, it is, it's a whole nother vibe.
00:34:49
Speaker
And it was so exciting this year with Boston coming across the country and starting their season off over there. It was just, it made for an exciting season. So I looked at the schedule earlier today and I'm like,
00:35:04
Speaker
I'm only going to get to see some shows in the South. Trish, i might come up and stay with you for a weekend and go to Allentown just because yeah it'll be a good time. But super jazzed. That sounds fun. you Right?
00:35:19
Speaker
Oh, it is
HBCU Band of the Year Significance
00:35:20
Speaker
a good time. ready. Let's bring it in. After the last couple of years, let's just go. Let's keep these vibes rolling. Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:35:30
Speaker
So i have some news on the HBCU front. So the finalists for ESPN's 2025 Red Lobster Band of the Year have officially been selected. And four powerhouse HBCU programs will take center stage in and Atlanta on December 12th as they battle for the national championship. This year's competition rooted in excellence, tradition, and the unmatched musical pageantry of the HBCU band world has been the most competitive season yet, representing the pinnacle of HBCU marching culture. The bands moving forward embodied the precision, pageantry, and passion that defines the spirit of every HBCU band. campus.
00:36:15
Speaker
This year's finalists span both divisions and include two reigning champions looking to defend their crowns. In Division to the Fayetteville State University and Miles College, the 2024 champion, advanced to Atlanta after impressive seasons. And in Division one we have Southern University and Florida A&M University, also known as SAMU, the returning national champions, have entered their place in the final showdown. So each of these four programs have navigated the season filled with national showcases, high-profile performances, and fierce competitions from dozens of other HBCU u bands.
00:36:54
Speaker
But the result is a championship field that represents the very best of the HBCU marching legacy and tradition.
00:37:05
Speaker
Y'all, let me tell you something.
00:37:09
Speaker
I am so excited that my algorithm in the last couple of weeks has just reset to where every other video is like an HBCU band and some of the creativity and pageantry that comes out of it. Like,
00:37:26
Speaker
i It's just unmatched. I love my core style and I love my drum corps world and my BOA world and all of that stuff. But there is something about HBCU bands that is just unbridled musicianship and performance quality that that only exists in that world.
00:37:51
Speaker
And i just think back to my childhood, like on Saturdays when my grandpa would take me to Jackson State University games and you would see the J5 drum majors coming into the stadium with the J sets prancing behind them and that like unmistakable tuba sound.
00:38:08
Speaker
And i oh, it just does something to my heart. It does. It's so real. It's so real.
00:38:19
Speaker
It is so real. my but My boyfriend is a band director, and yesterday he was laughing at his phone, and I was like, what are you laughing at? And he turned the volume up on it, and it was HBCU marching band playing Wicked.
00:38:33
Speaker
And I was thinking, oh, how relevant. And I mean, they were just playing. They were playing. Yes. I wish. Babe, do you remember which band it was? wish.
00:38:44
Speaker
Anyway. But yeah, no, it was funny and funny that you mentioned that. Because, I mean, it was one of those where we were just sitting there and were like, we're pathetic over here. Are we not putting the air through our horns? I know.
00:38:55
Speaker
i know. It's even the stuff, it's like it's like where they when they pull out classical band literature. Like my favorite is the Sousa March during the fifth quarter, like when HBCU u band plays the Sousa March.
00:39:08
Speaker
And it's like, what are you really doing? Like if you don't sound like this when you're playing the Sousa March, are you really playing the March? And then we have like this but ridiculous classical pieces. Like there there's a video floating around, I believe it's Southern University doing like Flight of the Bumblebee.
00:39:26
Speaker
And it's like, yes, how, how? It is phenomenal. And then you get the major eight dancers, honey, eight counts.
00:39:37
Speaker
so to toton I can see it in drumline now. I know, I Okay.
00:39:46
Speaker
Taylor. Yes. Tell me about my favorite day because we are coming up just a few days, probably when this podcast gets released. We're going to be on Thanksgiving. And my favorite thing on Thanksgiving is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. but You have some news for us.
00:40:06
Speaker
Do I have some news? Yes, I have some news. Not only is this year the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, this year is the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, you all. 100 years. Let's see here. It's going to be held November 26th, 20... Oh, wait, actually.
00:40:24
Speaker
I'm so dumb. That's next year's. Pause, cut, repeat. I should do my research a little bit better. i should look at my dates. That's next year. You all, I got excited. We can, we can give me a big fail. You all can unfollow me on Tik TOK and everything. Send me the hate mail, whatever it is. Anyway, facts are facts.
00:40:43
Speaker
Anyway, we've got, let's see here. Actually, i think, do I have the wrong, have the wrong parades. I'm sorry. Well, We'll see you here. oh Oh, we want the internet to work right now. you will I know that there were some internet issues earlier this week, but give me just one moment Well, while you're finding that, I'm going to talk about the 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts. I have done that parade, and let me tell you something. It was 13 degrees was the high that day, and taking a group of kids from Florida
00:41:24
Speaker
so philadelphia to do a 13 degree parade was not the best thing in the world as far as temperature wise, but it was a great experience. But this year, the 2025 participating bands are the Clearview Regional High School Marching Band from Malika Hill, New Jersey, the East Hills Middle School Band from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
00:41:48
Speaker
I stayed at that middle school this year when we were at rehearsal for DCI. ah The Heritage High School Band from Newport News, Virginia. The Kingsway Regional Marching Band from Woolwick Township in New Jersey.
00:42:02
Speaker
The Lake Central High School Marching Band from St. John, Indiana. The Oak Mountain High School Spirit of Cahaba Marching Band from Birmingham, Alabama.
00:42:13
Speaker
the Penn High School Marching Kingsmen from Mishawaka, Indiana, the Pensbury High School Marching Band from Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, the Philly All-Stars Marching Band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Zionsville Marching Eagles from Zionsville, Indiana.
00:42:32
Speaker
That is going to be a great lineup for a parade. Sounds pretty fun to me. Yeah. i I have to drive. So I have to drive from New Jersey to long Island on Thanksgiving day to go to my brother's house. And where I live in New Jersey, I live really close to New York city. I live like North, North Jersey of like,
00:42:54
Speaker
10 minutes from George Washington bridge, but to get to my brother's house, it can either take me a half an hour or two hours, depending on traffic. And I will not leave. I will not leave until I see every minute of that Macy's parade on TV. I will not leave.
00:43:09
Speaker
I don't what the traffic was like. I don't care. That's real. Absolutely. I think that I'm going to do that parade next year and just go and watch. Like I'm not going to do my normal Thanksgiving, clap everybody over. just going to go up to New York. I'm going to watch the parade. Cause I've always gone like after the parade has happened, like including the year we did the Philadelphia parade. I didn't get to see the Macy's day parade that year other than when got home and it was DVR, but I want to actually be present for it.
00:43:38
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Listen, it will it will definitely change your life. my boyfriend and I both were fortunate to take our both of our programs in their years. We had multiple years, and it was before we even met each other. But hearing his story and then getting to like have my own experiences with it with my alma mater and getting to take students that I taught was...
00:44:03
Speaker
it was it was really It was really, really cool, especially as being someone that lived in the city and never just walked in the middle of the street. I mean, it's 40 people wide all the way down when you go to Fifth Avenue, and you have right in front of us is the Carmel Marching Band, like of all bands. Right. And then it's the Snoopy balloon. And then it's us. And then it's like, you know, little bitties. But no, it's the entire day. it's it's It's tiring. It's exhausting. But it is, you just, you'll always remember it. I've been, a lot of photos have been starting to circulate. And I'm just like, oh my gosh. But anyway, I guess we'll let that segue back into the fact that this year is actually, my friends, it is the 99th annual Thanksgiving. Yeah. Okay. So just so so that facts are facts, America, but it will be airing November 27th, 2025 in New York city and broadcast to viewers live on NBC and on Peacock that same day at 8am to noon Eastern standard time. It's going to be hosted by Samantha Guthrie and Hoda Kotob.
00:45:04
Speaker
as we all know, and Al Roker. You know, love, love, love. The lineup's going to feature 18 helium balloons, 33 mid-sized balloons, 29 floats, 33 clown groups, and 11 marching bands. And some of those marching bands are ones that we have seen recently. We're to have the Alcorn State Sounds of the Dino Mite from Alcorn, Minnesota. We're going to have the bands of... Mississippi. They're from miss Mississippi. Mississippi. Mississippi. Mississippi, honey.
00:45:31
Speaker
And then we got Banda de la La Primavera from Santiago, Beracuas, Panama. We've got the Catawba Ridge High School Marching Band from Fort Mill, South Carolina. We've got the Damien Spartan Regiment from La Verne, California. We've got the LD Bell Blue Raider band from Hearst, Texas. And of course, we've got our Macy's Great American Marching Band from Nationwide Pools. i actually know a couple of students that are going to be up there. One of the drum majors, super excited for her. We've got the Northern Arizona Lumberjack Marching Band from Flagstaff, Arizona.
00:46:11
Speaker
And the New York Police Department Marching Band from New York, New York. As well as the Spartan drum and bugle corps. I'm super excited about this one. Super excited for the Spartans. All the way from New Hampshire. I'm saving that because i have a little story about that. I'm saving that for my gush and go.
00:46:29
Speaker
All right, we will talk. And then finishing it out is going to be the Temple University Diamond Band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, you all. It's going to be a good year for bands. I'm excited. It's going great year for bands.
00:46:42
Speaker
It is. Well, as much as I would love to sit here and talk about all the news, guys, we have to go to another commercial break. And we'll be back in just a moment with more On a Water Break. Hi everyone, it's time for your travel tip of the week with me.
00:46:56
Speaker
I'm Beth with Peak Group Travel. When you start reviewing the calendar for the dates for your next performance tour, avoiding major holidays is strongly recommended. Not only will you avoid longer lines at attractions, you could also save money by traveling during the off season.
00:47:13
Speaker
Don't forget to like and follow Peak Group Travel on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And be sure to email info at peakgrouptravel.com when you're ready to start planning your next performance tour.
00:47:26
Speaker
I'm Beth with Peak Group Travel and your travel tip of the week.
00:47:42
Speaker
Ready to elevate your travel game? Welcome to Peak Group Travel, the ultimate adventure creators. Whether you're planning an unforgettable class trip, a once in a lifetime parade experience for your marching band, or a choir tour full of memorable performance venues, Peak Group Travel handles it all so you can focus on making memories.
00:47:59
Speaker
From breathtaking international destinations to amazing adventures right here at home, Peak Group Travel customizes every journey to your vision. We're not just planners, we're your partners for the trip you want for your students.
00:48:12
Speaker
Our online registration portal makes managing your pre-trip experience smooth and convenient. We even collect your payments if you'd like. Picture it. Effortless planning, unmatched experiences, and smiles that last long after the journey ends.
00:48:26
Speaker
That's the Peak Group Travel difference. And if you choose to partner with Peak on your next tour, and you mentioned that you heard about us on the On a Water Break podcast, you'll earn a $100 trip credit. Discover why groups everywhere trust Peak Group Travel.
00:48:38
Speaker
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And be sure to visit peakgrouptravel.com today. You pick the date and we'll make it great. Okay, everyone, we are back and it is time for 60 Second Tech Block.
00:48:52
Speaker
60 Second Tech Block.
00:48:58
Speaker
and it is time for sixty second tech block
00:49:13
Speaker
66! Okay. I have to laugh every time that I get to host because it's just funny to me. And it literally was a complete joke when I recorded that whole opening segment for that. So... That's right. it's about to be my turn. What are we doing? It's about to be my turn. So it's all good.
00:49:33
Speaker
Right. Anyway, for those of you who are new to the podcast, this is the segment where one of our guest hosts and guest clinicians is put on the spot to deliver a nonstop 60 second tech session on a topic that needs some serious attention after the last run.
00:49:51
Speaker
Our special tech this week has come prepared with three topics that they think they can talk about for a full 60 seconds straight. No hesitation, no pauses, just pure technical gold.
00:50:03
Speaker
And this week, let's see, i think we'll throw it over to Alaskan friend. That's A-L-A-S-K-A, um Christian.
00:50:16
Speaker
Christian, you said that your best topics were rehearsing before the sun sets when you don't have stadium lights because, you know, in Alaska, the sun sets one day and then it doesn't come back up for six months.
00:50:32
Speaker
you know or building a marching band from the ground up. And I'm going to say that since the ground is kind of in permafrost for another six months, that's a pretty big topic.
00:50:45
Speaker
And lastly, creating a show for small bands. Okay. So ah friends, Taylor, Trish, um what topics do you think that we should get Christian to do?
00:50:59
Speaker
a I want to hear about the little marching band from the top, from the bottom, all the way starting it from scratch. Starting from the bottom of the hill here. yeah Up the ladder to the roof, honey. Oh, out up the ladder to the roof.
00:51:16
Speaker
and You better get that Sherry Renee Scott. okay Yes. Shout out Sherry Renee Scott. She's fabulous. ah I'm to agree. um I want to hear about building a marching band from the ground up when the ground is in permafrost for six months out of the year.
00:51:36
Speaker
Christian, are you ready for this? Sure. Okay. Taylor friend, do you mind pulling up on your phone right now? A 60 second timer for me.
00:51:47
Speaker
Let's get it. I feel like I'm watching that like old video of Chuck Henson and Dan Potter on YouTube when they were like giving them the BOA like low down. They're like 60 seconds to announce. 60 seconds to announce.
00:52:00
Speaker
All right. You ready? Okay. All right. 60 seconds on the clock, Christian. And here we go.
00:52:11
Speaker
All right. the first thing you got to do is you got to get him exposed to the activity. If they have no idea what marching band is, you're you're lost. um So for me, I teach middle school. I showed a lot of marching band videos starting when they were in sixth grade. I did marching arts Mondays. Every Monday at the end of class for 10 minutes, we watched BOA, DCI, WGI, indoor, whatever it was.
00:52:39
Speaker
We spent 10 minutes watching it and i exposed them to activity. And so from there, then, you know, once you have the band you have the buy-in to at least try it, you know, you start easy, you teach them technique, you, you know, you're teaching them how to play in class, um, side of things, you got to get them their fundamentals.
00:53:01
Speaker
And then, you know, just basically getting parent buy-in, getting student buy-in and the fun show and something that they can be excited to perform. And yeah.
00:53:12
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah.
00:53:18
Speaker
Sir, I, you know, listen to me. I feel like rehearsed that, first of all, because you were really ready to go with that whole thing. But there was some some very good insight in your conversation and in your telling us how we can do this.
00:53:38
Speaker
um I truly believe that, like, you have set a roadmap when we talk about programs being able to reach and aspire for the stars. You have done that with a program in a situation that none of us thought that even existed. Like I said earlier, I did not know marching band existed in Alaska.
00:53:57
Speaker
And you took your kids to Grand Nationals. I cannot wait to see what you do with your program. And I know that the rest of America speaks with me when we say we're proud of you and we're so glad that you are you are being the first.
00:54:13
Speaker
You're being the first. You're you're you're out there doing the thing. But enough about all of that. That was a solid 60-second tech block. Hopefully someone out there just got the tech advice that they didn't know that they needed. But now it's time to switch things up because it's time for everyone's favorite, what are we doing?
00:54:47
Speaker
but ah So this is the part of the show where we let loose a little bit, or maybe a lot. This is your chance to rant about something in the marching arts that just doesn't make sense.
00:55:01
Speaker
Maybe it's a tradition that needs to go. Maybe it's a habit that performers can't seem to break. Maybe it's something that makes you think, why are we even doing this? Or why haven't we started doing this yet?
00:55:15
Speaker
Whatever it is, this is your moment to call it out. So who's got something they need to get off their chest? Trish, my sister. What are we doing? Well, my what are we doing actually comes from um an anonymous caller, we'll say,
00:55:35
Speaker
um that wants to know what are we doing being so mean on social media about Avon winning grand mats. Wow.
00:55:49
Speaker
Apparently there's lot of stuff going up about, you know, i mean, when did we turn Avon into the Kansas city chiefs? I mean, okay. You know, they win a lot, you know, whatever, but listen, I mean, the program is top notch and like the anonymous caller said, you know, these kids are reading this and these kids see this and you know,
00:56:17
Speaker
They may, you know, they may be freshmen that weren't in the previous groups that won. And, you know, there's, you know, it's just, you know, I get it. we We wouldn't have a segment called, what are we doing if we weren't griping about things? It's normal. We get it. But, you know, these are kids and they just won. And the anonymous caller wanted to have that mentioned.
00:56:40
Speaker
So this is the segment of the show where I'm going to get bleeped out a lot because this something pisses me off.
00:56:50
Speaker
You want to piss me off? That is talk crap about kids doing something great and being mad that your program or the program that you like the best wasn't the one that won.
00:57:04
Speaker
At the end of the freaking day, there were a thousand plus kids, 2,000 kids that performed their asses off. over three days of competition. And judges had to narrow down from a field of 200 bands, the top 12 bands. And from that, they had to figure out which one did the thing the best.
00:57:24
Speaker
And there is no real possible way of being able to say, this one is better. They just go through a series of criteria. And for you to get your raggedy, lazy ass on the internet behind your keyboard and start typing and saying some shit,
00:57:41
Speaker
about kids and belittling kids because you were mad that a program that you liked or you felt some type of way about was not the one that is the winner, take every seat in Lucas Oil freaking stadium and sit your ass down. I am done. I am done with people on the internet.
00:58:01
Speaker
getting on your keyboard and figuring that they can say whatever the hell they want to say. I'm sick of it. Shut the F up. It is kids doing things that are great and they are not out there in the streets causing problems. They are doing the right thing. And just because your program that you like or you felt some type of emotional attachment to did not win. there No one is saying that that program was bad.
00:58:29
Speaker
They're just saying that it wasn't the best one that fit all the criteria that is listed down in the rule book. Shut the hell up and sit your ass down. I'm sick of it.
00:58:42
Speaker
yeah I'm sick of it. I saw the post. I literally was driving back from state championships here in Florida, from FFCC, from the villages. Look up the villages. If you don't know about the villages, that's a whole other side conversation that we can have in the comments.
00:58:59
Speaker
But I've read this comment and you talking about something, I saw red. That's all I did. i i i i cannot with people that get pissed off. Do you know, for someone who creates shows like me,
00:59:16
Speaker
And the other people in this room, because we all do this, we are all creators. When we put our heart and soul into a project, we wanted to win and we wanted to be great. But we also know that there is a reality of there are people that are going to do things better.
00:59:35
Speaker
And there are people in this world that have had practice and they have just mastered the art of figuring out how to do the thing the right way. And when you put yourself out there in this world of the competitive nature, you cannot be upset that someone is going to beat you.
00:59:54
Speaker
You can be proud when you win. And you can be upset that you did not win. But what you cannot do is go and bash someone else for being great. And you definitely should not do that when it is effing kids.
01:00:10
Speaker
When it is freaking kids, you should never open your mouth to say anything negative about what they are doing if those kids have been doing something positive.
01:00:22
Speaker
Sit your ass down. Take the entire effing seat in Lucas Oil Stadium and sit your ass down. Not sit in every seat Lucas Oil Stadium. I can't.
01:00:36
Speaker
but For real though, no one was saying it in 2010. are they saying it 15 years later? Like no one was coming from March and black and gold with like port pitchforks when they got their first three Pete. So why is that happening this time?
01:00:52
Speaker
It's ridiculous. you sense And like going back to what we said earlier in the whole conversation, we were talking about how nice they were. It's like we, my program, we've won our class those three years that they won their three Pete. And we were next to them in the tunnel.
01:01:08
Speaker
Um, that's my tea. We were next to them in the tunnel before the full retreat. And when I tell you that those Avon kids were some of the nicest ones to us in that tunnel. And we were only hanging out with their guard because their guard was bigger than our entire wind section.
01:01:23
Speaker
but Like heaven forbid, they were the sweetest kids. Them and Broken Arrow though. But like for real though, the Avon kids, they were so sweet. They were just happy to be there. So heaven them forbid that they work hard. I mean, have you watched their TikTok and social media? Those kids are working hard.
01:01:39
Speaker
Every day. Every day. i i y'all, you want to, you want to piss me off?
01:01:50
Speaker
You talk about some kids. You throw kids in there and you say kids don't deserve something. You can you can kiss my whole ass. You can kiss my entire ass. I do not care. and You can bleep this out, Trish, later. I don't care. i do not care.
01:02:07
Speaker
It pisses me off when people get on the internet and feel like they have they are emboldened. You know what? Say it to my face. Don't say it to the kids' faces. Come say it to my face. I dare you.
01:02:19
Speaker
I dare you to get in my face and say it and see what happens. Because I'll lose my job and I will go to jail and I'll smile in the mugshot. I'll smile in the damn mugshot because I will pop you in your mouth talking about kids.
01:02:32
Speaker
I don't care. I don't even care anymore. Well,
01:02:37
Speaker
well who's going to follow that one up? Christian, I got to move on because I'm going to sit here and be festered and mad. Christian, what what what are we doing, baby? What are we doing?
01:02:48
Speaker
Well, first off, I don't know how to follow that, but I'm going to try. For me, personally, um this is kind of a local thing, but maybe there's other places out there. But for me, I don't understand why more programs up here don't do marching band.
01:03:05
Speaker
For me, I think it's part of a well-rounded band program. You know, You have jazz band, you have concert band, you have whatever it is. Marching band should be part of that curriculum. And if my kids can do it into mid-November, there's no excuse that other people can't do it. Okay.
01:03:23
Speaker
I mean, I was going to give an excuse to be like, because it's cold, but you know, you did it. So therefore that excuse does not That's gone. Bundle up. Put on a coat, girl. Lay her up. but Oh, I guess it's my turn. You know, what what are we doing with the fact that I and all of my years in this activity and working for Bands of America, I have never been to Grand Nats and I'm very upset about that. So what are we doing ah with Florida always having championships during or around Grand Nats time so that I can't go to Grand Nats
01:04:08
Speaker
I got it. I think that's a personal thing for me. I just got to figure out my life and do better, but I really want to go to grand Nats. I'm tired of watching it on video and I'm tired of having conversations with people that are like talking about how great all these bands were. And I'm like a week late watching the clip to see what you're going to go. Don't worry. You're going to go.
01:04:29
Speaker
I think I'm going to go next year. I think next year is a year for me. Like I'm going to give up all of my responsibilities. I'm not going to judge. I'm not going to like run anything. I'm just going to go and be a fan again.
01:04:45
Speaker
Yeah. ah Taylor. know. I know you are there clutching your pearls ready to say something. What are we doing? Girl, I can't narrow it down.
01:04:59
Speaker
I'm going to have to make a whole TikTok series out of this because I've got comments left and right. I know there's going to be people, if they watch this, and I know they're going to watch it, they're going to be pissed that I didn't even mention their comment because, you know, some of these kids be coming in these... I was no one until I had some random TikToks tick off during a band camp, and it was only because it was hot.
01:05:21
Speaker
And then from there, people realized they were like, oh, you're some random weirdo that also does band. But like, they're not going to be, i don't even know. Anyway, at this point from the theater part of me, ah need to know, because when I came back from COVID, I was not expecting to continue the bachelor of fine arts and theatrical bullshit to be going on, on a marching band stage.
01:05:46
Speaker
When I left marching band, we, our visuals were like left, right, down, ah maybe grapevine to the right, but it wouldn't go back to the left because we didn't have like castle skirts.
01:06:01
Speaker
We did it. Heaven forbid. Like it's for real. If you want castle skirts, ask Dunbar high school, they got them. But like, uh, girl, when did, when did marching band turn into Broadway?
01:06:14
Speaker
Like, and and I'm being for real because we're talking about the discrepancies between like kids that can afford stuff and the kids that can't. But like, I'm going honest. I feel like there's no excuse at this point because Christian, your kids had better pops and it was honestly, your GE was perfect because I was like, that's an Alaskan show.
01:06:34
Speaker
I know who they are. i know who they are. Heaven forbid, I love caramel, but I was like, who the hell is that? We are doing Chick Corea is my Spanish heart. And I'm over here thinking the one time that's where that's what it was. I love them.
01:06:48
Speaker
I love caramel. My boyfriend loves caramel. We all we love caramel in Kentucky. I love it on my ice cream, too. But also like the one time i have. I love that asymmetrical plume.
01:07:01
Speaker
Why are we taking on the theatrics girl? I made a tick tock the other day because I was looking at their guard Brown cow stunning. If you ever watch drag race, you know, brown cow stunning and you've seen that guard. Honey, those weren't bulls.
01:07:17
Speaker
Brown cow stunning with the ooh, awesome station. It was that. Honestly, at this point I saw on on a water break. Y'all were talking about like sell the uniforms.
01:07:31
Speaker
To Besides other band programs, what are we doing? doing... Sell them to Broadway. Some of these uniforms... Have you seen William Mason High School? These uniforms are Broadway level. Tarpon Springs High School is literally like Broadway Junior.
01:07:49
Speaker
Like, Musical Theater International could literally produce a... Did you see their COVID show? No, wait, yeah that was, is that Tarvin Springs that Dobbins? No, it was Tarvin Springs. They did a full on freaking Hamilton show.
01:08:04
Speaker
They did it like the set. Yeah. Granted, I got to confuse with Dobbins Bennett because Dobbins Bennett also is Broadway because they have two shows. They do a whole football show and they do their shows for BOA. You think you see what they do at BOA? and look what they do for halftime for a football show. And then tell me that you don't have time to put together a show.
01:08:26
Speaker
Oh, wow. We are becoming Broadway. go Broadway can't even afford to be Broadway. So why is Martin Bain trying to step into that right now? We are not being funded nationally to be able to afford to do this.
01:08:39
Speaker
I feel personally i' attacked right now, Taylor. um As my second chapter of my life, using my theater background, is I am employed by many marching bands and winter guard programs as a performance and acting coach. So um yeah, I'm teaching Uta Hagen to marching bands and winter guards because that is where we are now in the activity.
01:09:07
Speaker
Oh, it is so there. There's so many things happening at once. When I was watching Fantasia with Wintergard this year, i didn't know where to look and when. And I loved every moment of it. And I was like, I just want to be there.
01:09:20
Speaker
just want to be, I don't know if I want to be in it or be a part, like watching it. i just like, I just love that this is what we do in our little like marching arts bubble. Because it is, it is just, it it's, it's, it's almost so chaotic that it's,
01:09:35
Speaker
it it just doesn't make any sense. Like if you pulled up a rando, that's not in the marching arts world. And they were just like, Oh, look at these people. They really get off on just like rewatching performances from years past. Like, I'll tell you what, when I watch Faust, when I watch anything from 1999, like nineties drum floor girl,
01:09:54
Speaker
takes me back. But yeah it's the pageantry of it all. Like I have a friend, one my friends, John in Louisville, I met him through my boyfriend and like him and I, like, we just love to talk about the pageantry of it all.
01:10:06
Speaker
Girl, I mean, the Phantom Regiment this year, Phantom Regiment, had and it's not because I'm wearing them. Like they said, we're not going to even name our show. just going to give you pageantry you're going to have to accept it for whatever it is that you feel in your spirit. Honestly, that's it. What are we doing?
01:10:23
Speaker
what Why are we naming our shows? Phantom Regiment done proof that we don't have to name our shows. Phantom Regiment. And then they just go. Yeah. Why name it? need a PhD. I should not have to have a PhD to understand your marching band show girl. And also while we're at it, the last bit of shade for the night, because it's getting late, figure out your color schemes. I am so tired of seeing some of these color schemes that we're griping and bitching about more like that doesn't work. And then we use it a couple years later.
01:10:54
Speaker
Why are we doing this? We know the colors that work. We know the complimentary colors. We did color wheel in grade school. I know y'all did the color wheel. If you can do the circle of fifths, I know that you can do the color wheel and you know what works and what doesn't. Period. Point blank. I'm done.
01:11:11
Speaker
Ricarda just can't right now. i got i dad i' through tired car can't! have put out to pasture.
01:11:22
Speaker
That was everything I needed. What are we doing to be at Moore? I... Oh, Trish. I can't. Just go on.
01:11:34
Speaker
Great job, everyone. your equipment down. Touch and go.
01:11:40
Speaker
Lord, y'all, i oh I feel as if i I had a spiritual awakening through that. Mm-hmm. We got that off our chest. Y'all, it's time for Gush and Go's. Welcome to Gush and Go. This is your chance to shout out something awesome happening in your life, marching arts related or not. Maybe you're excited about a performance, a student success, a big life of event, or just something cool you want to brag about. No negativity here, just pure unfiltered hype. So who's got something to gush about?
01:12:17
Speaker
Sister Trish, you're up first. All right, so I'm going to go back to the Macy's Parade story and the Spartans. um As you know, I have a really good friend, Andy, who's on the, I mentioned this a million times, on the admin team at Spartans. And I know they're coming into town.
01:12:34
Speaker
so I was talking to him on the phone yesterday, and he said, oh, yeah, you know, they're coming in. They're rehearsing Monday at someplace called the Sports Dome. I said, what?
01:12:46
Speaker
I said, the Sports Dome in Waldwick, New Jersey? He goes, yeah, do you know it And I go, so the the company that I work for in the summer, like that's their home base. And I was like, do I know it? I've worked there a million times. They're going to be at the sports though?
01:13:04
Speaker
So I'm hopefully going to be able to go up and check them out and see their rehearsals for the parade. So I'm super excited about that. I know how to get there. I know what it's all good. I was like, it can't be the same place. He sent me the itinerary. It totally is. So I've been there a million times and I'm going to go check out their rehearsals and hang out and have a good time. And I'm excited about that.
01:13:29
Speaker
I love that for you. Yeah. I love that for you. been good time. Christian, what are you gussing and going about? um I want to shout out the marching arts community. um They made a little band from Alaska feel loved last week.
01:13:46
Speaker
um You know, it's still... There's a lot of things that are happening in our band program, but that's still fresh. So that's why I'm still talking about it. um They just, the outpouring of love and support from the marching arts community from, we had like 80 followers on Instagram and now it's like quadrupled that and people are still sending love a week later. And I just want to shout out the the whole community for a making my kids have a special trip last week.
01:14:15
Speaker
Oh, man. That's awesome, Christian. And we're so glad that you were able to make that trip. ah Well, my gush and go is this, guys. So um we, i i have just finished up doing our school district music expos. where we bring all of our elementary and middle school students, um fourth and fifth grade students, and then our eighth grade students over to their high school that they are possibly going to be funneled into to showcase their music and fine arts programs. um This was the brainchild of my former counterpart, Rhea, who has now transitioned into a new job. And this is my first year to have to run this kind of solo.
01:14:58
Speaker
um And it was just amazing to be in the room with all of these elementary kids, fourth and fifth grade, that like had no idea about band and choir and orchestra, and to just see their excitement about instruments being played and like wanting to do band and choir and orchestra when they get to middle school. And then seeing the middle school students who were already a part of programs um that want to continue and the students who are not,
01:15:26
Speaker
but saw the opportunities in front of them to continue or start a career or education in the arts. So as a music specialist and supervisor for a school district, it was a very heartwarming last few weeks for me. So I'm very thankful for that going into the holiday break that our school district and our my my bosses believed in it enough that they would put funding behind it to make that happen.
01:15:54
Speaker
That is awesome. yeah Sister Taylor, what are you gushing and going about? this Yes. So I want to give a huge shout out to a sister from across the state marching band, ah the Christian County High School Marching Band, um and as well as the Hopkinsville High School Marching Bands. They um just finished their final years in Kentucky as their specific band programs. Their schools are about to conjoin in our state, and this hasn't happened for uh about like for something this big it hasn't happened for about like the little over 15-ish maybe 17-ish years where it's been to this grand of a scale and this will be pretty cool for our state um the christian county high school they just won the class 4a championship in our state of kentucky and that was super neat to see a band program on their final year finally just like get
01:16:58
Speaker
the state championship in the first time first and last time in school history and then they also got to travel up to boa grand nationals and they got some really cool features and they even got the special shout out through ah the nationals uh announcers you know dan potter literally even said for the final performance the christian county high school marching band like it just was it's very moving as someone who competed against them this year and has students that appreciate them has a friend who um is from that exact area and grew up there um it's just been neat to see a program like that especially in the state of kentucky um this school is predominantly students of color um so seeing as a school in a student body like that as well um
01:17:51
Speaker
leading the reigns here in the state of Kentucky is also, again, as a brown person that was raised in a white family, it's very it's very neat to see. It's kind of like when I grew up seeing Marian Catholic um performing and being so successful. So ah other brown kids in Kentucky, they get to see kids from Christian County in Hopkinsville get to succeed here on out and get to start this new chapter. I am so excited for you all and then I think it's going to be really neat for all of their staff to get to learn and grow as a new division and being a new dominator in our state. So congrats to them.
01:18:27
Speaker
I love that. love it.
01:18:31
Speaker
Well, everyone, thanks for a great rehearsal this week. And thank you for everyone who was spending time with us today. Taylor and Christian, listen, Where can we find you on social media, Taylor?
01:18:44
Speaker
Yeah. If you want to find me on Instagram or TikTok, it is at great batch of cookies. It is spelled like a great batch of cookies. My last name is great batch and that's where it comes from. and if you are in the Lexington area and you want to take my cycling classes, it's my Instagram is at spindle Jenner.
01:19:05
Speaker
It's just like Kendall Jenner, but with a spin.
01:19:09
Speaker
I'm going to come through when I roll up through Christmas on Christmas break. I'm going to stop by and take your cycling class. Girl, you better. We'll go to Keeneland and go see the Christmas lights. Love it. Love it Christian, my friend, how where can we find you on social media?
01:19:27
Speaker
ah So I don't i do too much social media personally, but you can find the band page. All our Instagram and Facebook is at Kenai bands. And if you like, want to see me roast my students lovingly, i have a tick tock called AK band director.
01:19:44
Speaker
um ah promise it's lovingly roasting them.
01:19:51
Speaker
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01:20:07
Speaker
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01:20:45
Speaker
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01:20:56
Speaker
What are you doing? Anyway, follow us on social media at On a Water Break, and we'll see you at the next rehearsal on a water break.
01:21:09
Speaker
The On a Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Ream. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit LidaMusic.com.
01:21:21
Speaker
And until next time, thanks for tuning in