“Creature Features” Rehearsal Week 8

by: Jenny Baxter – AWS Percussionist

Before I write anything else, there are some thank yous in order. I would like to give a big thank you to Arvis Green, our board secretary and piccolo player, who recently bought a nice recorder so we can record our songs and sync them with movie clips.

This leads to my second thank you on behalf of the symphony to Patrick Phillips, who works so diligently to put the visual aspect of our show together in addition to directing the symphony. To all of the board members, thank you for helping our symphony run smoothly, you guys do so much more than we even know.

So the big day is coming up, and I am excited. No, not Christmas. I mean our Creature Features concert! Maybe it’s not better than Christmas, but it’s definitely better than anything else you were going to do this Friday night. At practice this week, we played our music with their film clips and it is a shame we have to actually pay attention to the music. The lucky
audience will be able to experience the full effect of the sound and visuals.

I was able to sneak a peek at the clips at certain parts of our songs, and everything just fits so well. This can be explained by a combination of my awe of Patrick’s editing skills and my inner child who still gets chills every time Darth Vader appears. And yes, if you weren’t aware already, there is a tiny child living inside me.

I have one last interesting tidbit before I leave. Our lives are filled with music, but it is predominately music on the radio, whether you’re into bluegrass or rap. So much overproduced, packaged music travels in our ears every day, and we live in the live music capital of the world! So go listen to some live music, whether it’s classical, film scores (the best option), or a local band. It makes your insides feel happier, I promise.

Also, flute player Sarah Leland recommended this video to me. It’s the same genre as the Shining video last week. Enjoy!

For more information on The Austin Wind Symphony:
http://www.austinwindsymphony.org

“Creature Features” Rehearsal Week 7

by: Jenny Baxter – AWS Percussionist

Last week during practice, the theme our director Patrick stressed the most was emotion. And you may be wondering why that would be more important than our sound. The music of films is the reason why the Austin Wind Symphony exists, but think about films themselves for a second.

When you walk out of a film about love or heroic deeds, you walk out feeling a certain way. The emotions of the actors greatly affect your own feelings and stepping from the dimly-lit, emotion filled theater back into the cold stark real world is always a bit of a downer.

So musicians playing film scores have to be just as concerned with emotion, especially when music affects the mood of the film so much. Psycho just wouldn’t have been the same if What a Wonderful World was playing in the shower, though I’m curious to find out how hilarious that would be.

Every player in the symphony is capable of hitting every note in their music (well hopefully they are) but if they don’t put their soul into it, their everything, none of the notes will matter. Music is what makes a film, and emotion is what makes the music.

Here’s something extra for this week: If you’ve seen The Shining it’s hilarious, and it shows how much music and some creative editing can make a difference.

For more information on The Austin Wind Symphony:
http://www.austinwindsymphony.org

“Creature Features” Rehearsal Week 6

by: Jenny Baxter – AWS Percussionist

In our sixth week of practice here at the Austin Wind Symphony for our
fall Creature Features concert, I am grateful. Why, you ask? I knew you were going to ask that. Because after a tough day at school trying to solve the problems of the world, and at work creating the problems of the world, it’s so relaxing to come to practice and relax to a nice session of music from Jaws.

In all seriousness, our job is difficult. Practicing notes, pitches and rhythms in Godzilla vs. King Kong until they will assuredly scare grandma out of her chair takes dedication. This is especially true for people who come in for two hours a week, which is already filled with a hectic schedule.

The amazing thing is that it never feels like work and anyone who loves music as much as we do will tell you that. Hearing all of our notes come together to make something we recognize and love, something that plays an essential role in films, is what makes all of the work we do feel like a walk in Jurassic Park.

The best part of the symphony right now is that new people are coming
every week. They are all very exciting and evidently very good at sight
reading, because the music sounds great and they’re jumping right in and
helping us sound even stronger!

For more information on The Austin Wind Symphony:
http://www.austinwindsymphony.org