"I love it when we don't suck"

...that's a little thing my conducting teacher used to say after concerts. I thought it was funny, so I kept it and use it frequently. Sometimes my students get a little offended: "You mean there are times when we do suck?" Mostly they get the joke. Actually I get fewer funny looks than I do when I use my traditional motivational phrase I stole from Lord of the Rings just before a concert: "You do not know pain, you do not know fear.... you will taste MAN-FLESH"

Any way... concert tonight was good. Logistically it was one of the smoothest ever. One of my student leaders handled all of the set-up. One of the parents handled all of the reception details. I just showed up and waved my arms. It was awesome.

I couldn't help but fire a little torpedo at Papatine at the end as I was giving my last bit to the audience before the final song:

"As pressure form the federal government and state government bears down on education, many of my colleagues turn their arguments in favor of music education towards the benefits of music in improving cognitive skills and test scores. That's all well and good, but I'm a musician because of the effects of beauty on my life. I think everyone should experience beauty... more importantly, I think eveyrone should have the opporunity to unlock the beauty in themselves and let the world see it. That's what music is all about."

I got a standing ovation.

Later, when I was talking to a group of parents, one of them said "I sure Palpatine had been here to hear what you said about test scores." I bit my lip a little. Anyone who knows me knows how deliberate that little speech was. But had the Imperial P actually been there... I don't think it would have made much of a difference. She continued: "You know, it would be nice to see her once in a while."

My accompanist, who loves to play devil's advocate, responded "Well, you know principals are very busy... I'm sure they have a hard time going to every school function."

That's when my ID saw and opening and got a shot in. It just blurted out: "Yeah... besides... she gets to see us at the pep rallies."

One of the parents looked at me with a grin and said "you are so bad!"