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The One Wrapping up the 2024 School Year
129 Plays7 months ago
Join our hosting panel as they talk about wrapping up the 2024 school year and everything staff, students, and parents should be doing over the summer to get ready for next season! Our hosts bring you their stories, plus news, guests, and so much more!
Special Guests
Mario Sebastian - @blueandgoldregiment
Meet our Hosts
Jackie Brown - @spintronixguard
Stephen McCarrick - @stephenmccarick
Cindy Barry - @leandermomma
Nicole Younger - @o2bnpjs & @thecookoutcg
Trevor Bailey - @t_pain151
Trish O’Shea - @trishdish1002
Beth Beccone - @bether7189
Chris Rutt - @wildhornbrass1
Cynthia Bernard - @cynthiabern
Ashlee Amos - @famousamossss_
Theo Harrison - @harrisontheo07
Stephanie Click - @stephanieclick
Whitney Stone - @dancerwhit
Justin Surface - @J_dex07
Ashley Tran - @itsashleytran
Jack Goudreau - @goudreau_
Bill Woodward - @remoking100
Emily Nee - @tch.makes.art
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall - @ricardorrobinson
Callie Quire - @cnquire
Austin Hall - @Austin_hall10
Jose Montes - @joeymontes57
Music provided by leydamusic.com Follow him @josh.leyda
Avatars provided by @tch.makes.art
Featuring
Lexi Duda - Host for On A Water Break In Rhinestones - The Stories of the Twirlers @lexi_duda
Thank you also to @guardcloset
#marchingband #colorguard #dci #podcast #onawaterbreak #wgi #drumline
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction & End of School Year
00:00:00
Speaker
All right. Hello, everyone. We're back for another week of exciting rehearsals. This week, we're talking all things end of the school year with our guest band director, Mario Sebastian. We're also going to find out what made Trevor say, even if it's just waving a pom-pom in the air or shaking the air or laughing a noise maker when we're taking a feel for pregame to have that. And what made Stephanie say, I need you to get out of the car and come in. There's always something to do.
00:00:25
Speaker
all this and more so get out on the field and we'll see you back on the sidelines for this week's episode of On A Water Break.
00:00:49
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of season two of On a Water Break, the podcast where we talk about everything you and your friends are talking about at rehearsal. On a Water Break, I am Jack Goodrow.
00:01:02
Speaker
All right, so this week on a water break, we're wrapping up the school year and talking about preparations for summer and the next year ahead of us. But before we get to that, let's see who's on our sidelines this week. So Trevor, how's your school year been, man? What's been up? My school year is great because it's over.
00:01:24
Speaker
The students were really great this year, and we had a really successful year capped off amazing performances overseas in Dublin, Ireland. The students had great concerts. They finished strong with their final exam. So I'm a happy college professor over here at Western Carolina University. We're making memories, man. We're making memories for those kids.
00:01:50
Speaker
Alright, up next we have Stephanie from Texas. So how's your summer beginning? I heard that you finally have an empty house. Both your kids are way in college.
Drum Corps Costs & Scholarships
00:01:59
Speaker
What are you doing for free time now?
00:02:01
Speaker
Well, this weekend I am just binging shows on Netflix, but you're right. I have an empty house. Both kids are off at Drum Corps. My husband is off at Drum Corps. So I have a mini camp next week with my own color guard, but it is definitely winding down. School is out and I'm very happy.
00:02:27
Speaker
And Austin so I heard you just got off in a really interesting interview talking about Talking about tour feeds or about tour fees. How'd that interview go for you, man? It was fantastic. I mean it brought a lot of insight and I mean I aged out in 2019 but I
00:02:46
Speaker
Even since then, it's so much, there's so much more money involved in drum port, especially on the tour fee side of things. Stephanie can definitely elaborate more on that, since she has two kids large, but I can only imagine how much she's paying right now. It's, but every penny's worth it. You don't want to know. You don't want to know.
00:03:07
Speaker
everything yeah the way i see it everything but we gotta find a way to make this a little more accessible oh absolutely absolutely 100% so like my mind goes to like scholarships and stuff like that how can we expand scholarship opportunities for student thinkers right
00:03:21
Speaker
All
Mario Sebastian's Career Journey
00:03:22
Speaker
right. So now that everyone on the sideline has been accounted for, I want to introduce a good friend of mine, an excellent mentor who really helped start my journey in the area of high school drum majoring. He's also an amazing band director, teaching both concert band, field show, parade band. He does it all. Welcome to the show, Mario Sebastian from Elk Grove High School. Hello.
00:03:45
Speaker
All right, men, it's great to see you and great to have you on here. So we sort of have a tradition on this podcast where we give our guest hosts 32 counts to explain their entire life, starting from where they went to high school, education, where they teach, what they're up to right now, right? We're gonna give you eight preparatory counts on the mat and then you'll get your 32 counts. So are you ready? And who's first?
00:04:11
Speaker
It's going to be you. Let's do this. All right. Let's get those counts going.
00:04:21
Speaker
Okay, so born in Philippines, went to Lota High School in 93. I graduated, then I went to Sac State, got my bachelor's credentials, admin credential. Now at Elk Grove High School, it's my 28th year, taught middle school. Oh my gosh, this is scary. I love what I do, and also the PBIS coordinator. I'm also an admin team. Yeah.
00:04:50
Speaker
All right, so that was it. I know you did excellent. You did excellent. Mine was way worse, trust me. So I just want to hear from you. So given just the layout of your program, so what are you doing? Because I know you do a lot. I want the audience to hear just what's happening at Elk Grove High School.
School Renovations & Retirements
00:05:09
Speaker
We're going through a $4.4 million renovation and upgrades. And well, is that a new ban room? No.
00:05:19
Speaker
So upgrades in the theater upgrades and the music Yeah, yeah, that's I mean that's so much going on and you know to be able to juggle prepping for next year getting Getting all the forms taken care of students checking it on admin I mean that that just must be an absolute chore for you. And so
00:05:40
Speaker
If I remember correctly, how many performance units do you have at Elk Grove? I teach guitar ensemble, a vocal ensemble, two jazz bands, a wind ensemble and concert band that combines into one big marching band and color guards within the wind ensemble area, but they have a coach with that, so it's a lot.
00:06:03
Speaker
Yeah, it's a it's a it's a full set of big. So the fact that you're taking on the threat while also getting a full on renovation, I mean, it's crazy. We'll dive into that more. But for right now, let's go check out the news.
00:06:32
Speaker
All right, so we're starting news today with Trevor. Trevor, what's up? Something's going on in Delaware. In Delaware, the amazing Heidi Sauber is retiring at the 29 years of leaving the University of Delaware marching band.
00:06:47
Speaker
I know that congratulations, one of the best college bands in the nation. Ms. Sarver has been there, of course, for 29 years, since 1995. She's retiring at the end of the academic year. They have hired her replacement, who is also a University of Delaware alumni, if I'm not mistaken. So they're keeping everything cohesive there.
00:07:14
Speaker
The band program, you know, grew from 100 members to 300 members under her leadership.
00:07:25
Speaker
The band had performed all over the country. They performed in the New Year's Day Parade. They performed in Dublin, Ireland. They performed in Macy's. They've done all these amazing trips under the direction of Professor Sarver. I know she's going to be greatly missed. She brought a high level of professionalism, musicianship.
00:07:46
Speaker
She fostered leadership within the program, has inspired so many music educators throughout her almost 30-year tenure there at the University of Delaware. I know that the students adored her and they showed her love all throughout this past season, marking her last season with the University of Delaware marching band.
Volunteering & Safety in Marching Arts
00:08:07
Speaker
And thank you for your contributions to the profession.
00:08:13
Speaker
Best of luck to you and whatever you can try to do in your future endeavors. All right. Yeah, no. What an awesome career and a legacy to leave at that school. All right. Going up with some DCI news from Austin. Austin, what's up? DCI needs some volunteers from recent age-outs. They're looking for some volunteers.
00:08:38
Speaker
for World Championships in August. So if you aged out in 2021, 22, or 23 and are looking to help out putting on the big spectacular show that is World Championships, they need you. It's on DCI.org. They will take care of hotel accommodations, meals on set up.
00:09:00
Speaker
and event days in Indianapolis. They'll give you event credentials. They also give you the opportunity to meet and work with some personnel from DCI and some poor personnel.
00:09:09
Speaker
And they give you the ability to view select number of shows. They give you an event shirt and then all training materials and information required. They'll take care of all of that for you. So if you're looking to get back in and check out world championships and lend a hand and stay involved, this is definitely your opportunity. So check it out DCI.org.
00:09:30
Speaker
they need you to fill out the form by June. So go check it out. What a way to give back. That would be an awesome way for people to give back and continue that art from going. Keep on pushing the younger kiddos through that motion. All right. Now we're going to Stephanie with a little bit of WGI. What's up with WGI?
00:09:50
Speaker
Hey, so we have a new hire at WGI. His name is Dr. Will Brankenberger, and he's been hired as the director of participant protection. And so I think all of us that are involved, all of us that are educators
00:10:06
Speaker
always want our members protected. And I think WGI has always done a good job of this. But now this is an additional line with someone who is fully committed as their full-time role, their full-time job to make this their priority.
00:10:22
Speaker
His first day is June 1st. He does have a marching arts background, which I think is really cool. So he knows what he's going into, kind of knows what to look for. But I'm trying not to read you this whole article here, but I want to make sure I get my facts right here. He's going to handle everything, participant protection, which is reporting.
00:10:45
Speaker
incident inquiries, preventive education, which I think is absolutely huge. And then is also going to audit the systems that are already in place to make sure that they're right. And his background includes fraternal organizations, collegiate athletics and university systems. So he is more than qualified to take this on. And I'm really excited. Like I said, I think every one of us wants our performers to be safe. And I think this
00:11:13
Speaker
type of role, absolutely make sure that that happens. Yeah, and it's nice to see that WGI is being so proactive with this now, right? Because this is always sort of you living in the background. Now we kind of at the
Summer Preparations & Challenges
00:11:25
Speaker
forefront of things and we're going to be as proactive about who's in front of the kids, making sure that everyone background check and making sure all our students are safe so that they can have the best experience possible, right? Yes, 100%.
00:11:38
Speaker
All right, and we're going to be finishing up today with Trevor discussing the historic Black marching bands. We'll be heading to Southern California for an annual show. Trevor, do you want to dive into that? Absolutely, I'll dive in. And I just want to talk about these amazing sit HBCU bands. We'll be traveling to the West Coast, West Coast, West Coast for the 100 Battle of the Bands. It's going to be held
00:12:02
Speaker
February 1st, 2025 at SoFi Stadium, bringing the event to California for the first time. Make sure you grab those tickets. So it's going to be great. James Oliver, who's the director of bands at Alabama State says, quote, it's big for HBCU bands, not just for ASU to get on this particular platform and to have that type of opportunity to, you know, perform
00:12:28
Speaker
for these different types of audiences. So James Oliver, Alabama State, is incredibly excited about this possibility. Also, another person who's excited about this is Yvette Hunsicker, who serves as the vice president
00:12:43
Speaker
of corporate social responsibility and inclusion and diversity at Honda, the sponsor of this event. She says, quote, supporting society is more of an ecosystem, end quote. And then she goes on to say, you really have to get to the root cause to shift trajectories. We need to meet people where they are and give them the opportunity for different outcomes. Absolutely. Can you agree more?
00:13:10
Speaker
These audiences are in for a real treat. Honda has been an amazing sponsor of this event for years and years and years. I've been to several Battle of the Band competitions when they were hosted more in the South at Alabama State in Atlanta. This year Honda plans a $500,000 commitment to the HBC Band Scholarship through its partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. So if you're in
00:13:38
Speaker
If you're in the Southern California area, February 1st, 2025, make sure you stop by and grab your tickets for the Honda Battle of the Bands and watch the amazing folks, the most amazing student performers. And the HBCU sound, just the band's proper. I mean, they know how to play.
00:13:58
Speaker
It's so good. It's so, so, so, so good, right? So if anyone's available, go check it out. Everyone needs to go check it out. The best kind of entertainment, you know, you have these marching bands at the football games, and when these HBCUs strike up the tunes, it's all about them, and nothing else matters. And those students really work hard to put on a high level of productions each and every week, and they deserve our support. So go check them out February the 1st, 2025.
00:14:25
Speaker
Alright, so thank you everyone for sharing the news and all the hot tea in the marching band world. We're now going to throw it to our sponsors.
00:14:53
Speaker
Hey, this is Christine Reem. And Chris Green.
00:14:56
Speaker
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00:15:26
Speaker
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00:15:38
Speaker
Max out your rehearsal time and set up a microsite for easy student ordering for shoes, gloves and other equipment. The Guard Closet team is here to help you get everything you want and need for your season. Check us out at guardcloset.com and follow us on social media.
00:16:02
Speaker
All right, so now that the temperature is getting nice and toasty outside at least here on the west coast I don't know what it's like on the east coast itself
00:16:11
Speaker
uh we're finally here for summer and as a marching arts instructor or anyone related to the administration for marching arts programs we all know this might be time to just breathe a little bit but actually is it time to breathe or are the wheels already on the ground right so so let's let's jump into this topic everyone so i need to start with my band directors first trevor and mario
00:16:37
Speaker
What have you been up to for summer prep already? I mean, like, have the wheels already hit the ground for you two? Oh, yeah. Try to go first. Absolutely. The wheels are turning, Jack. First of all, it starts with inventory. We got to take stock of, like, everything that we've done, you know, the challenges that we met, the goals that we've met, you know, kind of make sure that we have everything kind of, you know, like a good end of the year wrap up, talking to the students.
00:17:07
Speaker
Making sure they know the goals for next season. You know, we've done things like you don't need to do things like pick me a new leadership team. Right. That's a part of the wrap up. Yeah. Got to pick that leadership team. Got to move forward.
00:17:22
Speaker
you have to do things like you can play into the year celebration events, you know, for what your program has gone through for the entire fiscal year. If I'm thinking about like some administrative things, one of the things I'm doing is taking inventory of instruments, uniform, music, making sure that everything's back in the place where it needs to be so we can do a good reset. Does that say about right to you, Mario?
00:17:50
Speaker
Yeah, so for me, it's a little bit similar, of course, but I wear four different hats. So the first hat is the band director, choir director hat. So I'm doing the same thing in Vintori. I already have my leadership group going. We have bonding time with the leadership. I also have my booster program with my parents, which we've already met and we have a new board.
00:18:13
Speaker
That's going, but in California, Northern California, we're going through a thing called Prop 28, which is a big funding for a billion dollar funding for the FAPA, visual performing arts. So we're going through that and the inventory, how to support the arts in a whole program. That's one. We also have the LCAP funding. So that's another inventory that I'm doing, grants.
00:18:38
Speaker
And then my other hat would be my PBIS coordinator. That's a positive behavior intervention support system. So that's another kind of prep. We're kind of like a band director for the whole school. So like the new theme, the new signs, that's done. I'm also the Northern California Band Association past president and drum major coordinator. So this June, we have a general session. So we're prepping for our new board that's coming up, working with the judges for NCBA.
00:19:07
Speaker
And then the last one is I run a summer camp leadership for MMDMA. That's called for music, movement, determination and achievement. And I'm going to be touring 12 schools to teach 12 leadership and summer camps for band camps for them. So, but I do have a balance. I'm married 24 years now with my wife. So that's we have vacation plans. So that's me.
00:19:33
Speaker
Okay, so for any of our listeners who just always thought that the band director is just the guy in front of the band conducting, this is evidence of how much our leaders are so frickin' solid in front of that band beyond just the conducting.
Band Camp Preparations & Student Well-being
00:19:49
Speaker
Your band director at your high school is working a million miles an hour non-stop, and it's an endless cycle. That's how you start a script to come up with what you feel you're doing, because you guys have done some awesome things for students and opened up access for students.
00:20:02
Speaker
And it's so exciting to see what you guys have planned for next year. I mean, you guys are juggling multiple things, but you guys are able to get it through every time. I mean, it's absolutely awesome. So Austin and Stephanie, so from more of an instructional tech side of things, where are you at? So Stephanie, color guard wise, you were telling me that you just started a beginning camp with your students already. So how's that going?
00:20:27
Speaker
It's good. We've been doing some sessions that were optional throughout the month of May, but then starting on Tuesday, from Tuesday through Friday. We have a camp where we'll put everybody together all, you know, all for the first time. We're auditioning for lines. So everybody together in the morning session, the afternoon session is, one day is rifle line auditions. The next day is saber line auditions. I've got an advanced flag line. So just trying to get those
00:20:53
Speaker
numbers and lines set so that I can get those numbers to our drill writer. And then after that, throughout the summer, is really just planning when things have to be done. In Texas, we have a system called UIL. There's some pros and cons to UIL. I didn't grow up in Texas, so I've
00:21:12
Speaker
like moved into this UIL system. And so basically what it says is that after Labor Day, so into September, we can only practice as a marching band ensemble for eight hours a week. We're capped. And so I grew up and taught in Kentucky and Tennessee and we could bring those kids in whenever we wanted for however long we wanted until we got the job done.
00:21:36
Speaker
And in Texas, you can't do that. You're capped at eight. So I'll spend a lot of time this summer, especially after I see the kids all together this next week, really setting deadlines of, OK, by this date, we need to have the opener needs to be filled with choreography. And by this date, you know, we have the second two needs to be done.
00:21:56
Speaker
And then also hiring the techs and clinicians that will come in and work with us in the fall choreographers that will come in. So a lot of that is just planning and contracts and a lot of calendaring throughout the month of June and July for me. Oh my gosh.
00:22:12
Speaker
Well, you know, it's, I mean, that's, that's a fast pace plan that you're having to do with that eight hour time window. That's, that's crazy. But I mean, you're getting the job done. All right. So Austin, how are things looking on the Southeast in regards to, uh, in regards to the programs that you're working with, how's summer looking like for you? Summer right now, at least in the past couple weeks have been pretty slow for me. And I've taken, taken that lever to you to take a break.
00:22:39
Speaker
Good. Everyone needs to find time for a break. Um, regardless of who you are. That's, that's my opinion. I've talked about it on a recent episode, but for me now, it's really just making sure that my schedule is set. Like Stephanie was talking about hiring clinicians and texts and all that stuff.
00:22:56
Speaker
So like I'd be going out and talking to the directors that I'm going to be working for and being like, Hey, when you want me in, this is what my schedule looks like. I can come in XYZ. And so just making sure that my calendar set, making sure that.
00:23:10
Speaker
Flights are booked and accommodations are taken care of and making sure contracts look correct and all that good stuff. That's the biggest thing at least on the instructional side for me. And then just making sure you're staying in touch with those directors so you're not like flying blind.
00:23:30
Speaker
You don't need to absolutely be in constant contact, but just check up every couple of weeks. Be like, hey, everything's still good. What are your plans for this time period? What are your plans for this time period so that you can make appropriate lesson plans when you go in and you can deliver your best product?
00:23:49
Speaker
for the services that you're providing. Absolutely. We have such a large group of performers that actually listen to our show. I kind of want to throw this out to everyone. What's something that you want your performers to be preparing for during summer? There are many different things. Let's start with Trevor on this one. What's an ideal student doing over the summer?
00:24:14
Speaker
We always want to make sure that they end up taking care of themselves. So self-care, recharge, and battery is always a good idea. Take vacation with your family, taking some time off. That's going to be essential for them to make sure that they're not overworked. But it's like my dad always told me, you stay ready so you don't have to get ready. So make sure that you continue to do some light workouts. Make sure you stay hydrated. Make sure you continue to still eat in that somewhat healthy manner if you can.
00:24:43
Speaker
Obviously, from the performance standpoint, each day that you're practicing, you're getting better. You're learning something about yourself. So whether it's on your instrument or doing drop spins or practicing like your rudiments, continue to make sure that you're investing in yourself as a performer and that you're doing things daily or every couple of days from a performance standpoint.
00:25:07
Speaker
you know, staying ready for what those summer camps, those summer meetups, and eventually the beginning of the fall season has to offer for you. So that would be something that I would want my performers to do. Stay ready so you don't have to get ready. And Mario, from your perspective, what do you want your performers to be to be locking in on in the summer?
00:25:29
Speaker
I do. Of course, like family time, like your Trevor says the mental health part. Yeah. I want him to practice because we had spring clinics with our battery staff or color guard staff. And a lot of my battery staff is touring drum corps. So they had a packet for them to get done. They had the field show packet.
00:25:54
Speaker
And John Fandis and Rosie Queen is a really good job with oh my goodness just the way they prep things and It's got something K coder. I think yes Yes, oh my gosh, they prep them really well, so we do both parade and a field show so after spring clinic like we have
00:26:17
Speaker
The leaderships must have like a bonding party or something different, a picnic or something, right? With those students and then practice. But they need to come back. Learning Movement 1, the Color Guard has their warm-up drills done. When we come back, it's challenge days to become first, second chair. So that motivates them to keep going.
00:26:39
Speaker
Thank you. Absolutely. I mean, juggling things as an instructor as well too, Stephanie and Austin. Stephanie, you were talking about the prep that you already have going, but what do you want to see your students really accomplish in these summer months besides just resting? What type of progress do you want from them?
00:26:59
Speaker
Yeah, well, I want them to go on vacation. I want them to do things with their family, that kind of thing. Beyond that, our community is really diverse. We have a lot of international families. I never say no to a student that says like, I'm going to be gone the first three days of band camp because
00:27:18
Speaker
We're going to Columbia to see by grandparents. We haven't seen them since COVID. Like, I'm never going to say no to that. But I also want you to do your dentist appointments. I want you to do get your braces on, get your wisdom teeth out.
00:27:33
Speaker
You do all of those things that like take some recovery time because I don't want to lose you during the season. So I want you to take those summer months. I want you to do that. And then I want you to hydrate and not sit on the couch. I want you to go to the pool. I want you to swim some laps. I want you to so that especially in Texas with the heat.
00:27:53
Speaker
I want you to come back and I want you to be acclimated to the heat a little bit so that, you know, your first day stepping out in the 104 degrees on the asphalt. We have practice asphalt practice field. I don't want July 29 to be the first time you stepped outside.
00:28:12
Speaker
All right, so Austin, from your instructional standpoint, where do you want to see progress for the groups that you're working with? Where's an area of growth that you want your students to really focus in on?
00:28:26
Speaker
I definitely want to see Stephanie hit on this just a minute ago, but the biggest thing I want to see is physical fitness being acclimated to that being acclimated to that he I don't really it doesn't really matter what you do like the pool thing It's like the it's like the best thing that you can do
00:28:44
Speaker
You spend time in the pool, you're outside, you're staying cool, and then you're getting a full body workout when you're swimming and everything, and you're having fun doing it too, so why not? Jump in the pool, hang out outside, do stuff that you enjoy, but also make sure that you're doing stuff outside and not being on the couch all summer. I know the air conditioning is so enticing, especially here in Florida, where it's already 100 degrees, it's going to be 100 degrees tomorrow in Florida, and it's too muggy and too hot already.
00:29:14
Speaker
yes yes spend time outside make sure that you're ready to go for band camp because when you pass out on the first day of band camp that's a lot of paperwork for the directors we don't want to do that we want to make sure that you're happy you're healthy you're having a good time and it's just it's just the best thing to do just get outside make sure you're really
00:29:35
Speaker
acclimated and you're getting down and you're ready to go come end of July, beginning of August.
Construction Disruptions & Parental Support
00:29:42
Speaker
That's my biggest thing. Austin, that's a perfect transition because I want to talk about the things that sneak up on us during summer. From a band director's perspective, we're constantly being thrown curve balls of different sorts. Mario, for you right now,
00:30:04
Speaker
building a completely new a completely new band room built for you so can you talk about like those type of curve balls that you've been experiencing in regards to the additional layers of stuff that you have to do what is that looking like well i'm a little scared because when when they tear up anything any construction that tear things up they'll find stuff
00:30:25
Speaker
So we're a little bit scared. There was a leak on the roof. The building is about 1955. I think there's nine high schools in the district and we're the oldest one and we're the ones being the new one, the newest one. So I'm scared that we're going to be in courtables because they found something that
00:30:44
Speaker
And yeah, there was a water damage in the 90s, so there was pipes and things. And that's the only thing. I'm excited to see what the remodel is going to be with the new winger cabinets and flat screen TVs and all kinds of things. But I'm just worried. My motto is, I'll believe it when I see it. That's my motto.
00:31:08
Speaker
As an instructor, I'm always relying on the band director to have that plan A, plan B. Just the fact that you have to really list out a variety of different options and different outcomes that you don't have any control over. That type of pressure is nuts. Absolutely nuts to me.
00:31:30
Speaker
Yeah, we do have a plan B all ready to go. First of all, he'll be moving in on August 2nd, so he was very confident about that. I'm like, okay, cool, Mr. Ortega, you're awesome. We'll see what happens. We'll see what happens. All right. Yeah, and so, since we have this perfect crosscut of directors and instructors here,
00:31:52
Speaker
We interact with parents very differently than we do our students. So during the summer, like what do you want support wise from parents? What, what, what's something that's worth its weight in gold to you during those summer months that the parents can provide? Well, I have a different perspective because you know, teaching college, I don't have to deal with parents. But
00:32:18
Speaker
I have to deal with maybe a couple of like incoming freshmen. So like those parents will come in and speak with us or they'll call like the band office and they will they always ask can I what can I do to help out you know for the next year do you have prop builders for college band and you need band boosters you need us to sell things isn't the same thing.
00:32:40
Speaker
Different programs have different needs, especially at the collegiate university level. If you're one of those parents who are bringing in a freshman, just ask the director if they have that need. Making sure that your student knows the band schedule and the calendar. Make sure you know the move-in schedule and the move-in calendar is super important. As an incoming parent of a college freshman,
00:33:07
Speaker
you know making sure that you know if you want to stay involved that you have like all the performance dates for the football schedule or the college or university band like exhibitions that we do like in the fall so you can make plans around those events we we love as college band directors to to have family members of the band students stay active stay involved even if it's just
00:33:30
Speaker
waving a pom-pom in the air, or shaking the air, or laughing a noise maker when we're taking the field for pregame at halftime. So parents, know those calendars, talk to your students, and still stick around because we won't be around those college events. Parents are the glue of any successful band group. That always will be in at the high school level, Mario. What does that look like?
00:33:55
Speaker
Well, also the curveball because they just moved out of the booster closet and out of the band, right? So we have our trailer crew who is in charge of five trailers with golf carts where they're checking to make sure that the tires are good to go, the brakes are good to go, insured. Then we have a uniform crew. I already did a field show reveal on Facebook. So we're doing Beethoven's Secret. So now we have
00:34:20
Speaker
We're getting jabbits. We're getting the guard fitted on uniform. We have a uniform team making the field show.
00:34:27
Speaker
just to field show embellishments of the uniform. We have a fireworks booth crew who's doing the fireworks. We're going to be traveling to Disneyland this year in Carnegie Hall in 2026, so we have a fundraising crew that's doing fundraising for that aspect. So they're busy. They know that during the June and July before Bain Camp and Color Guard Camp,
00:34:50
Speaker
and that's their turn to shine because I'll volunteer with fireworks booth just to lead by example but they need to rest because they know that at Bayton Color Guard Camp our instructors and staff and I that's our turn to shine with the students so it's a big cycle and it's it's it's beautiful because the prop teams are making props right now and it's just it's a it's a pretty cool thing so absolutely absolutely there are more folks
00:35:18
Speaker
Austin and Stephanie, what is your interaction with the students' parents? What does that look like for your programs? For me, I always tell the parents that the number one thing they can do for me is get out of the car. So you've got to drive your kid to practice. I need you to get out of the car and come in. There's always something to do. We have a large band of right in 100 in the color board. We've got 300 wins.
00:35:45
Speaker
We have a uniform team that is fantastic. They're fitting band kids and guard kids and you don't have to sew for that. Like you can pin that type of thing. We in Texas for homecoming have moms which like I said I wasn't a Texan.
00:36:02
Speaker
But our mom shop is a fundraiser for the band. We make over $10,000 on that for homecoming. And it's like cutting ribbons and things like that. And it's a huge fundraiser for us. But I need, like, flights organized, inventory, things that maybe I can't get to. If you're a photographer, the kids love to have candid shots. I'll let you come in a rehearsal, you know, our own little media team. We've been lucky to have some professional photographers in the past that had kids in the band.
00:36:29
Speaker
Those kids want those photos for social media and it's great recruitment for the band and for the color guard when those kids are sharing. But I want them to come in because I want to know who they are. I want to have a relationship with a parent just like I have a relationship with a student because hopefully I'm going to have your student for four years and you're trusting me with your most prized possession of your child and I want to know who you are but I also want you to know who I am.
00:36:59
Speaker
situations when they come up, good, bad, you know, whatever, you know, I want us to have an open line of communication and that to be a really comfortable relationship. That's awesome. Austin, what is that relationship with your students' parents to you? Yeah, so
00:37:20
Speaker
I mean, I hit along and a lot of the same lines and with Stephanie, just like get out of the car. I'm actually probably gonna steal that now. Thank you for that. Get out of the car and come, um, come just support. What do you get? Like I had this group of parents.
00:37:36
Speaker
down here for a couple of years, I don't know if that group of parents will ever top or any other group of parents will top them. They would be absolute best. They made sure that like, we were young, we were a younger staff, they made sure that we were taking care of and they made sure their kids were taken care of. And just building, my biggest thing is building that relationship with the parents. So that it's the same, we're going along the same lines still.
00:38:01
Speaker
You're trusting me and my staff with your most prized possession, which is your child and their education. Like it's not my job just to teach them to be good at band. It's also my job to teach them to be better people. So they're, they're trusting me with that as well. And building that relationship with the parents so that they can trust me and be like, Oh, who's this 20, who's this 20 something year old kid?
00:38:23
Speaker
coming in and teaching my 15, 16 year old, like, do I really want a 20 something? And then you get, you get that relationship going. You're like, Oh yeah, I do. And just making sure that relationship is built is the biggest thing for me. And then just being there and supporting, supporting your kids, like showing up to, showing up to like even dress rehearsals and other rehearsals, like regular rehearsals every so often, they were, they would be there all the time.
00:38:49
Speaker
but doing and then they're doing props and uniforms and all that stuff and it's just seeing the support from those parents is always so encouraging because you're giving you're giving so much the parents are giving so much it's just it's just a such a special relationship because you're not just
00:39:07
Speaker
getting in with their you're not just like being with the kids. It's it becomes a family affair that that especially with those people who have families that have loved them and everything.
00:39:20
Speaker
Those, those grandparents can be there for eight, 10 years, depending on, depending on the gaps of the kid, depending on the age gaps, the kids and everything. But just making sure that parents are involved is the biggest thing. Show up and then like football games competitions. It's always fun to hear and see the, see the parents stand up like, Oh, now enter the field, insert high school here. And then you just see this whole group of parents stand up. It's just, it's just the most, it's just the coolest thing.
00:39:46
Speaker
Absolutely and you know one of the things that I think is just from an instructional standpoint is so which is so valuable is you can learn things not only from your student but also from the parent as well too you can take away from how that individual parents their own lived and well experiences right like I think that's one of the best parts about being an instructor is you you're given an immense educational opportunity
00:40:11
Speaker
to see perspective and see growth from many different lenses, right? And I think that's the value in that instructorship. And I mean, it's worth its weight in gold to me.
00:40:23
Speaker
All right. Can I just say one more thing for our amazing parents? From the logistical side, I said make sure you know the calendars and stuff, but also make sure awesome grandparents that you know when fees are due, how much they are.
00:40:42
Speaker
That's very important. I mean, when fundraisers happen, it costs to do this thing, unfortunately. And we want to make sure that every child gets to participate, every family gets to participate. So knowing that fee schedule is super important. If you have any issues, reach out to the director. Maybe something could be arranged for you if you're having like some troubles. You communicate those.
00:41:06
Speaker
We are very open and very empathetic to our band families in that regard. And we want to make sure that every student gets to participate on the trips and the competitions. They get the uniform and the equipment that they need and they get to travel the way that they deserve to travel. But band parents make sure you know and understand that information, that you read the handbook.
00:41:29
Speaker
the performance handbook with the students so you know what their responsibilities are so you can help hold them accountable on your end when it's time to go to a hurry. So what is what the level of expectation is from the program. So those two things I just want to talk about and keep on being awesome grandparents.
00:41:47
Speaker
Yep, well said. And I think just being able to listen to this episode, this will set students, parents, and instructors just a little bit ahead of the curve in regards to being able to take the fire hydrant of stuff that's coming their way, right? So
Hosts' Current Focuses & Actions
00:42:02
Speaker
thank you guys for your guys' perspective. So to our listeners, stick around for the rest of our episode. We'll be right back with our water redoing and our gushing goes up next.
00:42:24
Speaker
Hey everyone, it's Jeremy, and here are your announcements coming from the box. Don't miss all of our bonus content, including On a Water Break in Rhinestones with your host, Lexi Duda, exploring the world of the Twirlers. Don't miss parades and drum majors at Step Off with your host, Jack Goudreau, and Get Lost in Translation with your host, Cynthia Bernard, exploring all the words that confuse all of us in the marching arts all across the world.
00:42:53
Speaker
and go behind the lens with marching arts photographers all across the country with your host, Chris Marr. Plenty more bonus content from On A Water Break, so listen anywhere you get your podcasts. If you want to be on On A Water Break as a guest, or you know somebody that would make a great guest for On A Water Break, email us at onawaterbreakpodcast at gmail.com.
00:43:25
Speaker
All right, and we are back this week with an amazing rehearsal that we've had so far. Great, great, great conversations, but now it's time to transition to my favorite part of the show. What are we doing? What are we doing? What are we doing? All right, Trevor, what are we doing?
00:43:54
Speaker
Oh, what are we doing? A bander at this, guard instructors, percussion instructors, what are we doing? We just had this big, you know, band year showcasing the talents of our students and instead of hitting the pause button, we jump right back into it and we go to like, teach more summer clinics and we go off to teach more drum corps and I'm doing it myself this summer for the third season with the mandarins.
00:44:20
Speaker
And what are we doing? We should be taking time off, but we love this thing so much that we're jumping right back in to do more kids and teaching with Drunk Corps and other people's band camps. Make sure that we find that balance while still doing what we love to do on a day-to-day basis. I'm sure everyone on the podcast has that experience where it's kind of hard to put it down sometime. I would imagine that, yes.
00:44:49
Speaker
Love the mandarins. Yeah. They're easy group to work for. All right. So Stephanie, what are we doing? What are we doing at these drum four shows? I want to challenge you guys to stand up for every core.
00:45:08
Speaker
We had this episode a couple weeks back about how expensive it is for these members to get there. And some of them have done some remarkable things to get those poor bees paid, selling plasma and yard sales and bake sales and all the things. And every kid deserves a standing ovation. It does not matter if they go on at 11.45 in the morning or they're the last four on at 10 o'clock at night.
00:45:34
Speaker
Get up out of your seat and clap for every one of these kids. So what are we doing? We're giving standing ovations. Put your hands together for the kiddos. That's right. They deserve it. They deserve it. Yes. Yes, they're doing it. Stephanie, we got to get there early. We got to get there early to film everybody. Yes, yes.
00:45:56
Speaker
That sure did. You should be there for the Pledge of Allegiance at the opening show. They should still be popping the popcorn when you're walking in. That's right. All right. Austin, what are we doing? You could probably use some water right now in the Southeast, considering how hot it is. So what are you doing, man? Yeah, I'm going to piggyback off of Stephanie and Trevor. What are we doing not
00:46:27
Speaker
at Drum Corps early. For my East Coast people, we want to see those all in each group. We want to see those open class groups, and we want to see every single group so that they all can get the standing ovation. I've worked for a couple open class Drum Corps in the past couple years between the Louisiana Stars and the Italian, and walking into stadiums that wasn't a home show,
00:46:54
Speaker
seeing the crowds, I was like, we can show up a little bit more for these guys. They deserve an audience too. Like, don't get me wrong. We love the mandarins. We love the blue devils. We love the bluecoats. We love the Cavaliers. But give some love to these open class groups. There's a lot of, especially the all age coming in now, there's a lot of love to give for these groups. And they're working just hard, not even a little bit harder to put on a great deal.
Support for Drum Corps & Personal Updates
00:47:22
Speaker
I'm going to take the mic from this. So from a high school instructor perspective, what are we doing? So I'm approaching this more from a self-reflective standpoint. What am I doing this summer to make my training program stronger for students and to lift the level of execution and focus on execution? Because I feel
00:47:48
Speaker
I feel right now I really want to help set a standard for young leaders, young drum majors in the Northern California region to have that foundation of execution and have that deep understanding of using execution as a guiding light for all things in performance, not only in the
00:48:07
Speaker
not only in the performance area but in life and being able to really define that more in my in my pedagogy that's one of the things that i've really been focusing in on this summer how can i bring that light there and really stress all right mario let's
00:48:23
Speaker
Let's hear it. What are you doing? Or a high school band director besides paperwork. My daughter just graduated from UNR University of Nevada Reno, so she's moving back in. My son is a fisherman with Delta Saints bass team, so I'm doing a lot of family stuff right now because when I have my calendar, what am I doing is family calendar for me as a band director.
00:48:47
Speaker
And I have to have hearts means date nights, maybe 24 years. And then we know that October, there's only two hearts. That's not a lot. September, there's like four or five. So I'm just balancing myself. But what am I doing now is prepping, you know, look, I just had a conversation with my band booster president and we had a reflection time.
00:49:09
Speaker
what can I do better for them, reflection time with my leadership group, what can I do better for my students, and then we reflect how can the staff be better too. So this is a good reflection time to building blocks for a stronger season every single time.
00:49:27
Speaker
And I'm just listening to a lot of repertoire. My winter percussion group, my staff is already listening to winter percussion. I said, let's get through fall season first. I'm getting too excited. That's what I'm doing and encouraging students to really practice over the summer break. Go over to the mandarins. Go over to
00:49:47
Speaker
Blue Doubles, BDB, the drum corps shows, and really go to the parking lots and watch the lot shows and see how they're rehearsed, how they're organized, how they get other trailers to the bus. And that's what I learned when I saw the Blue Doubles just observing them coming out and also Mandarin's just from point A to point B and taking those elements to my band program.
00:50:11
Speaker
so much so much to be taken from those professional groups just in every aspect of their performance from the moment that plus hits the lot their game faces on and you know that's that's how you got to play if you want to want to be competitive right absolutely I'm sorry I just I listen to
00:50:31
Speaker
Oh, I just talked to those groups because that's the closest to me. But my battery instructor's with the two lights, so there's other drunkers out there too. Absolutely, absolutely. All right, so we have...
00:50:49
Speaker
All right, so let's stop complaining now and let's go to our Gush and Go's. All right, Trevor, you're up first to bat, man. I just want to gush and go about this episode that we're wrapping up right now with my good friends. It's been exciting. We have to talk about so much. We got to hear a bunch of different opinions, learn and meet new friends. And it was just a pleasure working on this episode, working on this podcast. So I just want to gush and go.
00:51:16
Speaker
on this particular episode. And I hope everyone checks it out. And it was really encouraging just to hear other people talk about their year and how they're wrapping up everything. And it's just great. So I'm just gushing over here. Likewise. All right, Stephanie, what's your gushing up for this week?
00:51:37
Speaker
So same as Trevor, I love this episode, but I have to gush and go. We talk a lot about my kids that are marching. My daughter's back at Blue Devils for year three. She has two more to go. My son's back at Cavaliers. This is year two for him, year three marching.
00:51:55
Speaker
one more to go after this, but for the first time as a teacher, I have two kids that I started that are marching this summer. So I have Olivia that's marching the Troopers, and then I have Caden that's marching Academy. And so it's really cool to see kids that I started here at this program in Texas that are marching just beyond my biological kids that I now have two more out there that I can just really root on this season.
00:52:23
Speaker
That's awesome. That's so cool to see that, right? That tradition, that impact, right? Yeah, for sure. Austin, what's your gush and go for this week? Oh, goodness. I am gush and go. First of all, shout out to Olivia, the troopers, troopers alumni right here. I love you, too. Beverly, too. You have some freedom on the phone. Oh, wow. Awesome, awesome. Oh, yeah. Mario, Austin graduated from UNR, so. Oh, yes, you do. Oh, man.
00:52:52
Speaker
My biggest my gushing go is that um, you know what I gotta I gotta do this right after we get off this podcast But I gotta go rice. I gotta go rice and drove from the troopers legacy for I gotta go take And then I've got um
00:53:11
Speaker
What else do I gotta do? Helping a close friend of mine revive a band program. He just got a gig down in Lancaster County, South Carolina. He's gonna go help, or he just got a gig. I'm gonna go help him bring that program back to what it was. I think it's Andrew Jackson High School. Me and him are gonna kind of start that thing from scratch and really hope to grow it into a perennial group in the upstate South Carolina region.
00:53:38
Speaker
I'm really looking forward to this formal in the next couple of years, trying to really bring that group to that next level and push the boundaries of what I know that they can do. Absolutely, man. That's awesome. All right. And for me, my gush and go this week is going to be about the Scottish drum major season is here.
00:53:58
Speaker
So I'm getting ready to go beat that Pleasanton in a few months and practice weekly practice for me has already begun So I'm I'm looking to bring some crazy new moves to the Scottish circuit this year trying to get some behind the back throws in Finally, I really want to see
00:54:15
Speaker
I really want to see how the judges will react to that, but let's see what happens. You've got to be pushing the bill always, right? So I'm getting my new uniform fitted as well, too. So I'm really excited to go to my tailor next week to make sure that everything is as clean as possible. I'm switching out all my directional buttons. I went on a tangent about directional buttons for inspection a while ago in one of my first episodes. But anyway, I'm getting clear face buttons so that the judges don't dink if the alignment's off.
00:54:42
Speaker
getting that all taken care of, getting everything cleaned up and you know it's just it's a fun thing to keep going during the summer so that's my gush and go. All right Mario what's your gush and go for the week? My gush and go is family time paperwork and hit the gym for me to get stronger for my students because at Bandcamp I run with them, I work out with them because that's what I do just leave by example.
00:55:09
Speaker
I just, the guys can go for me right now is get out of the car from Stephanie. I'm going to steal that and have like a flyer, get out of the car. And then like, we can make sure, drop the team, come out in rehearsals. I love that. So I'm going to steal that a lot.
Conclusion & Listener Engagement
00:55:24
Speaker
Mario, I think if you get one of those like yard signs and just put it in the ground, like right at the carpool, drop off money, you're like, get out the car. The band members that way with an arrow.
00:55:34
Speaker
And then a QR code to donate. There you go. Done. There you go. I love it. I love it. If you sit in the car, you have to donate. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. We're actually putting the QR codes on our T-shirts.
00:55:52
Speaker
All right, everyone, thank you so much for getting on this today and for being willing to talk about your own programs, your own ambitions over the summer. I mean, it's been a really great panel to talk about. So it's so valuable for our listeners. So before we go, Mario, where can our listeners find you? Do you have a Facebook? Do you have an Instagram? Where can they find it? Mario H. Sebastian on Facebook.
00:56:19
Speaker
I don't do a lot of Instagram, but if you research Blue and Gold Regiment dot com, sorry, just Google it, Blue and Gold Regiment, you'll find my program. And so, Stephanie, Trevor, Austin, Mario, truly, it's been a pleasure. So for our listeners, one more thing. Don't forget that we have our YouTube channel now that has many of our interviews coming out as full on videos. So go check that out and subscribe so you don't miss out.
00:56:46
Speaker
And before we close out our podcast, go check out the listening app and go subscribe to us, write us a review and share us with friends. Follow us on social media, add on a water break and we'll see you next rehearsal on a water break. Peace out.
00:57:04
Speaker
The On A Water Break podcast was produced by Jeremy Williams and Christine Reem. The intro and outro music was produced by Josh Lida. To learn more, visit lidamusic.com. And until next time, thanks for tuning in.