I am constantly amazed by the people I surround myself with. I made a decision on Saturday that was both a long time coming, and brash at the same time. I quit my position at IndianaMarching after a fantastic 4 years. I have made and built unbelievable connections during my time there, but it was one failed relationship that was the straw that broke the camels back.
Not really going to go into detail because that’s not what this is about.
I just finished my 10th Bands of America Grand Nationals, and third as Event Staff. I can’t even figure out where to begin. The people I get the honor of working alongside are truly what’s right with this country. These are people who spend hours, days, weeks, months, years to give students all across this country a positively life changing experience. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t even be where I am, today. How could you now want to be surrounded by inspiring people? I consider it an honor doing what I love next to people who are doing what they love. THAT is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Screw money. We get one life, that’s it.
This weekend we saw Castle HS make finals for the first time in their school history, and deservedly so. Their show was built around an amazing singer and flutist. She stole that show. All season long were comments like, “you have to hear this girl sing!” or “she is the best I’ve ever heard” or “she made me cry it was so beautiful.” They are all true. I did cry during her performance of “Defying Gravity” in finals. It was perfection, emotional driven and performed to perfection.
After a night of celebrating an amazing season, and along side her peers, her, her father, and her grandmother were killed in a horrific accident on their way back home to Newburgh.
I have received countless texts and messages about her the last day and a half, and my Facebook feed is almost exclusively showing her family and the Castle Band family support. It’s not just Indiana people, it’s band people from across the country. In times of such grief, to see such a diverse group of people come together to support our friends in times of tragedy warms my heart.
I am at a loss of words. A beautiful soul was taken from us to early. A soul with an amazing future ahead of her. I may have never met her, but we were family. As cliche as it sounds, band is one big family. While the scores may say that there are winners and losers, there is no loser. We share in the common bond of music, friendship, and passion. That is what this is about. It’s not politics, it’s not scores, it’s not anything but supporting our friends.
We are ALL Castle.
