I stumbled upon this video on youtube. Before I even finished it, I knew it would be one of my favorite videos. What this is an original composition called "Enoch's Meditation", and it uses audio from Martin Luther King's speech "We Shall Overcome" and Barack Obamas victory speech. I spent over an hour trying to find the transcript to MLK's "We Shall Overcome" speech but I was able to find Obamas part. Watch and Listen carefully! This video is definitely worth taking the time to watch. Not only is the music enjoyable and fitting, but the message really has an effect, and the speeches are amazing just to listen to. A person may die, but their ideas can live on forever.
President Barack Obama-
"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voices could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled -- Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America!"
music, we need when language fails us, but we cannot remain silent...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
We Shall Overcome
Monday, March 16, 2009
A New Now
It's certainly been too long since I've last blogged. I feel like there's a lot to say, so much has happened since!
I guess I'll start with All-State. My first (and last) All-State experience is one I won't forget. I had the pleasure of playing with some of the most talented musicians I've ever heard. Some of these highschoolers sounded like they could be professional. Anyways, the convention was in Fresno. Not the greatest place to go, especially in California. Most of the drive up there seemed to be endless miles of plants. One cool thing was the Tejon Pass, driving through the mountains. The convention lasted from Thursday to Sunday, which was basically arriving there, two days of rehearsal, then a performance. The band I was in was conducted by Dr. Mallory Thompson. She was very energetic and outgoing and also very intelligent. One moment that will always stand out to me is when we were rehearsing a piece called 'Sleep' by Eric Whitacre (anyone who knows this composer knows he writes some beautiful pieces). We were doing a run through, and we got to the climax of the song, which, in a lot of Whitacres music, had its ways of tugging at your insides, and she started to cry.. not just tears but crying. She kept conducting but she had to cover her face because she couldnt help it. And when the song ended, we were all just kind of quiet. It was a prettty awesome feeling just being in a place where everyone worked hard and everyone had a common goal, to play beautiful music! aha well enough about that.
For another thing, you might already know cause it seemed to spread at school, that my car, my baby, was stolen... but luckily thanks to the stupidity of the thieves I got it back! My sister already did a blog on it, since it was hers before mine, so check it out www.capinator.blogspot.com, it has some interesting pics too but I'll explain the story anyways. So the guy driving was speeding on the I-15 (with a stolen car,smart huh) so the police chased the guy into a cul de sac in Mira Mesa, not a smart move, so thats where they got caught. My car ended up with new rims and tires (thanks guys!), but my radio was gone, and so were my RayBans but those were the least of my worries. In the car was to be found; checkbooks, movies, video games, variety of tools, trash, coins, clothes, electronics, and the crazy thing is all of this stuff was most likely stolen. The police cleared most of the car out for evidence and what not but an old but working mp3 player was left so thats cool. Right now my car is in the shop getting some repairs and what not so yeah.
This is a bit of a sidetrack, but I forgot to mention my car was on sophomore hill when it was stolen. Now i know the school doesn't have liability for that, but what I'm saying is that my car would have been more likely not stolen if it was in the parking lot. Now having 1st period online does have it's disadvantages when it comes to the parking lot, but what is up with that 30 or more empty staff parking spots EVERY morning?! what's up with the new tier II policy? Used to to be if you had a D or an F you couldnt park in the lot. Now its if you have less than a 2.0(I dont know the exact but it is around there somewhere). Used to be there were no separate staff and student parking. Now theres an exact number of staff spots that there are staff, but lots of staff have already admitted they carpool to school with other teachers, and that all teachers come and leave school at different times. It just seems ridiculous to me that the school hasnt done anything all year yet to add more student parking when the line of cars on sophomore hill gets longer, and when theres ALWAYS EMPTY STAFF SPOTS, especially after someones(my) car was stolen off it! I know a lot of people, seniors, especially know what im talking about. well anyways.. hahah
The jazz program at MC is kickin off pretty well. This saturday, both jazz bands are going up to the annual Irvine Jazz Festival. Playing jazz has really appealed to me these past couple months. It's one of the things I've committed some time to it lately, I think I've found my number one way to express myself creatively and thats through music. Wherever I go, I hope I can join and play in a big band setting, or maybe even a combo, or an ensemble but I don't plan to stop playing. I guess that leads me to college..
College college college...all I can say is I'm really thankful for whats happened so far regarding college admissions. Im excited to start new and be in a new environment. The only thing I'm nervous about is keeping up in college. My sister told me today, staying in college is 1000x times harder than getting in, and shes a senior in college so i know I can take her word for that. Only a few more weeks than AP Tests are here, and pretty soon it'll be senior activities and GRADUATION! well, I'm not gonna write a whole shpeel here all on what i think/thought about highschool so far and all that stuff now, since theres still some time left to enjoy it!
I guess I'll start with All-State. My first (and last) All-State experience is one I won't forget. I had the pleasure of playing with some of the most talented musicians I've ever heard. Some of these highschoolers sounded like they could be professional. Anyways, the convention was in Fresno. Not the greatest place to go, especially in California. Most of the drive up there seemed to be endless miles of plants. One cool thing was the Tejon Pass, driving through the mountains. The convention lasted from Thursday to Sunday, which was basically arriving there, two days of rehearsal, then a performance. The band I was in was conducted by Dr. Mallory Thompson. She was very energetic and outgoing and also very intelligent. One moment that will always stand out to me is when we were rehearsing a piece called 'Sleep' by Eric Whitacre (anyone who knows this composer knows he writes some beautiful pieces). We were doing a run through, and we got to the climax of the song, which, in a lot of Whitacres music, had its ways of tugging at your insides, and she started to cry.. not just tears but crying. She kept conducting but she had to cover her face because she couldnt help it. And when the song ended, we were all just kind of quiet. It was a prettty awesome feeling just being in a place where everyone worked hard and everyone had a common goal, to play beautiful music! aha well enough about that.
For another thing, you might already know cause it seemed to spread at school, that my car, my baby, was stolen... but luckily thanks to the stupidity of the thieves I got it back! My sister already did a blog on it, since it was hers before mine, so check it out www.capinator.blogspot.com, it has some interesting pics too but I'll explain the story anyways. So the guy driving was speeding on the I-15 (with a stolen car,smart huh) so the police chased the guy into a cul de sac in Mira Mesa, not a smart move, so thats where they got caught. My car ended up with new rims and tires (thanks guys!), but my radio was gone, and so were my RayBans but those were the least of my worries. In the car was to be found; checkbooks, movies, video games, variety of tools, trash, coins, clothes, electronics, and the crazy thing is all of this stuff was most likely stolen. The police cleared most of the car out for evidence and what not but an old but working mp3 player was left so thats cool. Right now my car is in the shop getting some repairs and what not so yeah.
This is a bit of a sidetrack, but I forgot to mention my car was on sophomore hill when it was stolen. Now i know the school doesn't have liability for that, but what I'm saying is that my car would have been more likely not stolen if it was in the parking lot. Now having 1st period online does have it's disadvantages when it comes to the parking lot, but what is up with that 30 or more empty staff parking spots EVERY morning?! what's up with the new tier II policy? Used to to be if you had a D or an F you couldnt park in the lot. Now its if you have less than a 2.0(I dont know the exact but it is around there somewhere). Used to be there were no separate staff and student parking. Now theres an exact number of staff spots that there are staff, but lots of staff have already admitted they carpool to school with other teachers, and that all teachers come and leave school at different times. It just seems ridiculous to me that the school hasnt done anything all year yet to add more student parking when the line of cars on sophomore hill gets longer, and when theres ALWAYS EMPTY STAFF SPOTS, especially after someones(my) car was stolen off it! I know a lot of people, seniors, especially know what im talking about. well anyways.. hahah
The jazz program at MC is kickin off pretty well. This saturday, both jazz bands are going up to the annual Irvine Jazz Festival. Playing jazz has really appealed to me these past couple months. It's one of the things I've committed some time to it lately, I think I've found my number one way to express myself creatively and thats through music. Wherever I go, I hope I can join and play in a big band setting, or maybe even a combo, or an ensemble but I don't plan to stop playing. I guess that leads me to college..
College college college...all I can say is I'm really thankful for whats happened so far regarding college admissions. Im excited to start new and be in a new environment. The only thing I'm nervous about is keeping up in college. My sister told me today, staying in college is 1000x times harder than getting in, and shes a senior in college so i know I can take her word for that. Only a few more weeks than AP Tests are here, and pretty soon it'll be senior activities and GRADUATION! well, I'm not gonna write a whole shpeel here all on what i think/thought about highschool so far and all that stuff now, since theres still some time left to enjoy it!
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