Blue Shades Brings Martha Graham Quotes to Life

STUFF
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
1:16 PM

Check on flag issues … 5/13/2007, 9:26 AM

PROGRAM NOTES Page 1

Blue Shades Notes
1:14 PM

Additional Notes on Blue Shades
Saturday, May 13, 2006
BLUE SHADES
DRAFT THREE – FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS With Eric Kitchenman and
Marc Sylvester, and well … my own thinking. We also have music fixes
and adjustments.
CONCEPT COMMENTS ALL HOLD ---

Concept -- This tune is about work ethic, principle #2. It is somewhat light hearted but it uses the rather
serious quotes of Martha Graham (from narrator) to set the foundation! This tune needs to be a
production! It is not so much about the nuts and bolts of drum corps as about the fun and thrill of all of
this. A little attitude .. a little reality …

BEGINNING …
The transition from the opener .
The only thing on the field is the narrator.
FOR 24 counts at 176 beats per minute ( NOTE -- Jeff -- if you do not need 24 …. We can do it in less. I
can pull counts etc.

ONE CHANGE OF NOTE

After thinking of the options, I am using the VOICE OF MARTHA for all of the opening ideas … She will in
effect have a monologue interrupted by music. So … Jeff, I am NOT using the kids -- not yet, I am going
to take a different approach to the beginning of the selection that I think will be more understandable …
at least to the common folks. The change does not affect counts. Not at all …

I will use the students again …. This time a bit later in the tune. I think the change will actually tighten
down the time frame also.

SO ….
The first 24 or so, the corps moves in silence …

Narrator: Martha Graham, the legendary dancer said… “I believe we learn by practice. Whether it
means to learn to dance my practicing, dancing, or to learn to live by practicing living , the principles are
the same.

This leads into the first two notes of Blue SHADES.
Measure 1 – Measure 15

Measure 1 – 4
- Martha Continues -
In each, it is the performance of a dedicated precise set of acts, from which
comes a shape of achievement,

Pasted from <http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5065006>

Measures 6 – 8
- Martha Continues --
a sense of one's being, a satisfaction of spirit.



Measures 9-10
- Martha Continues
One becomes, in some area,

Measure 14-15 ( I only need one measure HERE JEFF)
- Martha Continues

- an athlete of God.

Musically, all we have done here is good.
Visually, the guard needs to be transitioning I am imagining.

So --- all voice to this point is from the narrator. This person is set, in some kind of an attractive stage,
off to one side of the stage. Same location as when we entered the field

We then do the new end of phrase --- Not an accelerando, what takes us to letter A --
Measures 16-27.

We removed the accelerando so that we were not pushing for yet another effect, when we just tried to
tear the house down at the end of the closer. Instead, we are hoping for a bit of artistry to carry the day!

END OF INTRO --- beginning of the BODY OF THE PIECE

VOICE --- MEASURE 27-28 (and more)

With the change above, where we replaced the kids voice … we now give the kids the change to talk.
We do not have that many opportunities … only two … so we need to give them a bit of time.

VOCAL --- Member #1 says …

Sure, I love to practice! We got in at 6 am , slept for an hour, and we were on the field before 9 …. 8
hour of rehearsal later and here we are.

I need 20 Counts -- NOT THE EIGHT IN THE SCORE!!!!!

- Idea … it would be cool to write the drill, and perhaps a guard moment or two to the voice.
Example -- the speaker pauses and the guard tosses a six. We can even go on about all of that.
I can change the voice to match the idea if it works?

THEN WE PLAY LETTER B

- Feature …. Thinking mellos should be standing
- You have the split snare line and some segment of the guard here also!
- Definitely a feature … time to show some attitude

VOCAL #2 -- 15

- I am sure I have never been as challenged as I am in the corps. The staff …. Yeah, they can be
tough but, they are just looking for excellence. So am !

THEN WE PLAY LETTER C, right into letter D and right to the end of the phrase which is now at measure
50.


50.

TOM --- did you catch that Jay changed the end of this a bit … Neil … take a look guys !!!!!!

Letter E – Letter I

Four Counts at the new measure 51 is fine … thinking that is just a hold.

Then ---

Letter E to Letter I has become the rehearsal segment.

- The voice will come from the pit … no need to see folks on the field.
- I will fine tune the timing and voice of the instructors so that it is paced better. Also, I will make it a tad
less negative.

Now … there are two methods visually, and yes, musically.

STANDARD -- we keep this as we are doing it now.
We look for a visual idea that is interesting and long of phrase.
We have another coming ( the trumpet solo phrase) …. But, if we want to play it close to the vest --
We just need to agree on the look … and what should it look like with the vocal overtop?

DANGEROUS
We make it look like a rehearsal ….
We change the music ….. We make it look like what it sounds like …
The percussion line is warming up …. Etc ….

What I also can see ---
We let the brass and percussion kind of frame the production, and the guard becomes the center of the
comments. We let the guard be quot; in the rehearsalquot; while the music continues to move along.
This is a bit safer, and the other concern I have is that the guard is the feature in the coming section.
I will say, this approach seems the most reasonable …. The other --- with all moving to rehearsals …
Well … it could be cool … and yes, it could be a bust.

Worth a talk … SOON!

Here is what we would have to play with in such a discussion ---

- We would use the keys -- 16 counts to set up
- We would then break down into …
- Percussion warm ups
- Brass adds in …
- Guard rehearsing tosses etc …
- Comments address the issues …
- It's only 28 counts before G when the brass really does have to play.

- THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT …

Let's have the guard show the rehearsal idea .. Let's have the brass/ percussion somehow frame the
idea. We get more tense as we move along, the form somehow tightens around the guard, we grow in
tension as the music does so …. And all opens up for ….. AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guard would have to show this …
And then ---
We need to go right back into performance mode! Tough to do visually and the guard writing.
Just challenging.

ALL WORTHY OF TALK …. JEFF -- ME --- ERIC -- GUARD FOLKS.


ALL WORTHY OF TALK …. JEFF -- ME --- ERIC -- GUARD FOLKS.

The choice here guard, of what we do, and what equipment use …. All critical!!!!!!

This is where we KIND OF pull off the story, or at least the idea of a story for this short period of time.

==================================================================================
MUSICALLY --- Letters G and H are all good

Letter I – up to Letter M
All good!
Solo is good. Feel is great.
No Vocals here.
The guard is actually the feature, while we cruise around a bit. Greg has an idea here where the guard is
in a block and more or less pass a silk down the line. Sounds great … and it will fill the time with some
interesting work … awesome.

LETTER M --- CUT BEFORE ….

Letter N
Build is good musically.
Gives the guard a chance to reset also!
I am going to add some voice in here … over top.
Some quotes … to give it all a sense of being grounded again!

Examples ---

Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith,
of desire.
Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.
Only one thing registers on the subconscious mind: repetitive application - practice. What you
practice is what you manifest.
Pasted from <http://chatna.com/theme/practice.htm>

Letter O
Swing --- all good! I have hear it with all together but, it’s about standing still and letting the world have
it. Guard goes at it here … dance segment!!!!!

Letter P – all good
We can play games with the feet … march ½ time for the first few bars of P and then take off again, or
stay at ½ time through P … all the way up to Letter Q

Letter Q
We Opened up the last segment for voice.
We go back to the staff …. So that we can finish in a more positive vein ….

6 cts ---- Yes drums! that's what we're talking about
8 cts ---- Good Brass, that's the sound …. That's the quality
3 cts ---- Thank you!!!!!
10cts --- Great Practice today guys! Thanks for the effort! Nice work!!!!!

VISUAL can definitely be a part of this. We have cleared percussion too! We have given all a chance to
hear the voice, to place the voice inside the chart.


NOTE --- these voice come from the PIT also --- the staff voices! --- back one more time!

From measure 154 to the end -- let um have it!
Drill, guard, the entire kit and caboodle … whatever that means.

Measures 14-15

Pasted from <file:///C:UsersgeorgeDocumentsBLUE%20SHADES%20-%20comments%20on%20April%2024th%20--%
20some%20compromise.doc>


1:16 PM

CLOSER NOTES
Saturday, May 13, 2006
5:51 PM
This is really a first draft of the CLOSER NOTES
CONCEPT - Intention of the CLOSER -- CONCEPT of CHOICE
(signs that got for all of the syllables )

We just has a rather raucous trip through Blue Shades, we have the intention of being much
more series. We first set the stage with some comments with issues that are series. These
comments will sit on top of the music of the beginning of the closer. Realizing that we have not
had much time to play anything lyrical, this is a bit risky … but, it is important that we set the
stage, or the theme of the third selection.

Once we move to the body of the piece … we need to merge corps, voice and some trickery to
set a happier stage, to bring home the message that choice allows one to be who they wish to be
in life.

Quote 1 --- to begin about measure 3

My father told me I was fat. And lazy. And stupid.
I combated my father’s words with words of my own, hiding in my room while my chubby eight-
year old fingers scribbled out poems and stories. The words I’d written would lay about me on
my bed – my shield and protection to help get me through the night.

Pasted from <http://thisibelieve.org/dsp_ShowEssay.php?topessays=3&uid=12446>

Quote #2 --- to begin about Letter A

You don't expect your child to grow up to be a heroin addict. From the moment of her birth, you
have hopes and dreams about the future, but they never include heroin addiction. That couldn't
happen to your child, because addiction is the result of a bad environment, bad parenting. There
is most definitely someone or something to blame.


>

Quote #3 -- to begin at
At the same time my 44-year-old husband, Ed, was losing his life, my mother was losing her
ability to remember. As Ed's lungs filled with cancer, Mom's brain was becoming tangled in
plaque. She forgot how to start the car, whether or not she had eaten and which family members
had died — including my father


LETTER B --

This will take us to letter B.
It would be nice to keep Letter B but, I do not think we can. The reason I do not say NO yet, is
that it does give a moment to breath … and I like it! I am just counting seconds. So … the jury is
out.


BIG NOTE

At this speed, we need to slow things down when we can. We need to move at 1/2 time, or move
to the time signature, or move fast and slow … back and forth … there needs to be a variety.
I am not going to address for now, but, we need to handle this. Who is best to do this? We need
to have a coordinated effort?

I can begin … by talking to Tom so as to understand the options … then we need to go from there.
I can try to get to this Sunday --- if not … some how Monday.

We cannot move at 210 for the entire piece.

IDEA -- or the KERNAL OF AN IDEA

There is an idea that we NEVER go to the 210 except for the last phrase -- the closing.
I LIKE IT !

Different people move at 210, different sections .. Sometimes many and sometimes not many!
And always -- there is SOMEONE -- at 210. LIKE IT!!!!

Letter C

Trumpets should be standing still … and whatever guard is going to be included in the feature
would be included in that segment. NO voice.

Letter D

All enter -- No voice .. We need to make the ensemble statement. We need to have everyone
involved.
I would say that this is the first time, we need to look at the tempo, or the method of interpreting
the music. 1/2 time would be a little too slow … for such a period of time … but, we could
definitely, we should definitely, begin to mix it up.

I think to give us a LOOK … to give us some reason to be ….
It might be cool to look at a mass move here … a block, that spins, that moves forward, and that
at the end of the phrase … drops our first speaker off .. To speak, to narrate, and to communicate
the shift in mood. Perhaps this block move, in a very odd marching style … meaning marching in
odd meters etc … might be a cool moment.

Letter E

Jay is going to shoot me …

I need to insert Voice at Letter E.

We can try to place the voice with the music … we can withdraw some of the more active lines …
Or … something else. This is the time to insert the voice … it is the correct space. It all makes
sense
But there is some cost to the contrasting musical ideas.

The speaker ---


quot; Life does send us challenges. But I have a choice. I have
a choice to enjoy rehearsal in stifling heat.
I have the same choice to live my life with joy regardless
what comes my way.

Letter F

All back in … the answer to the statement … the musical answer

Letter G

I would like to adjust letter G, so that there is the chance for the voice to be added for the fist 12
counts.
I am not sure it is as simple as pulling the trumpets. I more see that perhaps the mellophones
would take on the trumpet part so that the basic melody is in tact … but, we are building and
setting for the future hit.

Second half of letter G would be the same. Tom … not sure if this does much to you. I cannot tell
how much sound you are putting out over the 1/2 of Letter G.

What would the voice be here …

I chose to be happy
I chose to learn
I chose to grow
I chose to never give up!

Letter H

JAY --- Since this is a return to LETTER A -- can we shorten this to 1/2 or so …. Possible to get
more to the point. We still need to finish the phrase … but can we shorten … perhaps not play
the initial Phrase.

We Shortened this!!!!!

Letter I -- Percussion

I do not really have a visual sense of what we are going to do with this … can we talk about it.
We need an idea to tie this together.
I think the percussion idea is cool …
Understated ..
But what are we going to do with it?
What narrative do we need …
This is really the next to last chance …

Perhaps nothing is needed …
But we do need a MOMENT --
A concept -- a purpose here!


Not sure what it should be? Or would be here?
Still thinking?

NOW THAT I HAVE THOUGHT --

This is not a musical issue … it's visual.
We need a gimmick of sorts.
Something that will play off of the contrast of the soft percussion contribution followed my the
balls to the walls approach.

Approach …. ( remember, the brass enters the second half)

- First half ---- move at slower tempo …. Backs to audience … guard featured through each of the
segments --- but guard is FAST and FURIOUS In the interpretation … way out of character.
- Second half --- corps moves … really moves …. And the guard becomes more supportive.
Pass off is clearly to the musical element.

Included in this contrast might also be small visual to expanding ….
Color changes ….
Or … the brass building down to the percussion and then the full corps spinning in a geometric
shape that has the music played front and back, as it pushes and pulls itself through a rotation!
Same thing in the quite section as I think about it JEFF --

Almost like a form in Windows screen saver --
The corps …. With percussion -- builds to a form that just evolves and evolves --
The creation pushes voices to the side, and even percussion … but the overall effect is a LONG
transitory visual phrase that allows you to almost mathematically create a visual image!!!!

I like it …. :-)

TOM --- one thing for you -- anything that can be CUT from here … or combined … we should
do!
I am still pulling times down … I know the closing (EPILOGUE) will want more.

I am thinking NO voice in here … because … I plan to add voice to the next section …
And yes, I know I am gambling with the musical message.
But here it comes!!!!

At Letter O -- I would like to do the following.

7/4 bar --- Music as is
5/4 bar --- VOICE --- CHOICE QUOTE -- some music -- but just the base or bottom so that the
voice cuts

Same each time …

1 - I believe in community

2- I believe in practice

3 - I believe in choice

4- I believe in progress

Possible Jay?

We still get the layering -- we still get the growth -- but the story gets a little time.


We still get the layering -- we still get the growth -- but the story gets a little time.

Does not save time … but it does form a better conclusion -- Much better!

JAY -- are you sure we cannot cut out the 4 measures before S ---

Letter S to the END ..

All good! Run and Gun!!!! World CHAMPS


REDO - June 1st
Saturday, June 02, 2007
12:12 PM

PRELUDE

I live in fear that the indecision regarding ADEMIUS will result in the 2007 Cadets being car less than
they can be. As I have mentioned, we just cannot afford to come out anything less than prepared.
For that to occur, we need time with the closer. We cannot stand still. We cannot move and not play
well. We cannot NOT move with a flourish.

Here are my recent thoughts. If there is controversy or issue here … OK! I am primarily trying to set Jeff
up for direction and assistance.

OVERALL

As I have written a few times one worry we have with this show is variety. We are great through the first
seven minutes … but if we do not differentiate ADEIMUS, I can see the issues.

How to differentiate
 Treatment
 Drill off center
 Unique approach
 Less Volume -- look for places where we can take it down, down, down
 Break it up
□ Silent feature
□ Guard moment etc.

• PART 1 - the OPENING

 Music is good to go!
 Reminder -- this is backfield
 Sops and Mellos the name of the game
 Percussion support is minimal … Pit etc with the metallics as has been in place.

 We went to one speaker … one voice
 We agreed to all of this --- works well … one story
 Daniel is the speaker … gives some room
My father told me I was fat. And lazy. And stupid.
I combated my father’s words with words of my own, hiding in my room while my chubby
eight-year old fingers scribbled out poems and stories. The words I’d written would lay about
me on my bed – my shield and protection to help get me through the night.


 The way it is set up, the brass are able to play Letter B alone … no voice .. A bit of a moment.

 Guard /Visual

There is a moment here for them --- what it is, is an open door. It can be a guard moment


 There is a moment here for them --- what it is, is an open door. It can be a guard moment
that sits juxtaposed to the music, or, they can somehow interpret the very serious nature of
the words!

 This is meant to be the contrast of contrast -- from Blue Shades to here. YES !!!!
So, whatever we can do to add to that tension … is a good thing!!!!

 Letter C
 I have asked Gino to interpret this differently . I see the trumpets and a chunk of guard playing this
in SASSY fashion. There is a break to the mood! We are shifting gears!
 Trumpets stand still.
 Portion of the corps, since most not playing can take off at 208 to add that level of interest .
 Intention of the phrase … to CHANGE the mood … to bring us back from the sullen words that
appeared before.
 NOTE -- there is some 9/8 stuff to march in here

 Letter D

 Impact
 But it can be off center.
 Corps should me marching at less than 208 but … guard can take off now.
 Guard moment --
 This is typical drum corps in terms of the impact

 MUSICALLY
 Can we shape the second phrase -- would take some re-writing … are we there yet Jeff.
 Can we get people to talk about this NOW?

 Letter E
 Small group
 Back to the story
 QUOTE

This same routine of verbal assault went on through my teens,
IT shaped my mind, spirit, and vision. I really did see that stupid, lazy boy my father
saw.


 Small group musically is good. Daniel could be neat that if possible?
 Others NOT playing can move to again develop contrast and the underlying story of the 208 at all times,
somewhere on the field. Could look cool.

LETTER F

 Yet more contrast and more impact -- Short stuff
 Gives the ensemble an opportunity to push forward for a short time.
 Talked to Jay -- it is these phrases where I think we need to pull back on the complexity -- and
push more for impact , sonority, and contrast.


push more for impact , sonority, and contrast.

Letter G

 Musical CHANGE
 During soft stuff
 The story continues
And yet each night, I would write. I’d write as if my life depended on it.

Overtop of the music … just as we do now … too many words?
I will try to keep shortening?
Too much story?

 LETTER H --
 I want to pull all of the music here. Same counts but … just voice supported my keys --
 KEYS Written in the format of the opening ballad … background .. A flashback -- that sets up the
percussion.
 Musically -- not sure that we need to play more … we need to impact people emotionally.
 Kickin' ass drill -- with just words … could be cool. God I hope it is ...

The words …

I carried self-doubt with me like a blanket. I was afraid.
The possibility that my father had the problem did not occur to me, until last year …
When I received a call … telling me that my father had died … liver failure.

Now what?


 DRUMS
 The drum feature leads us to the tension, the questions .. The issues.
 We work in angst
 We are angular
 We battle
 We show the pain …

 Letter O -- after the percussion

my father’s lie has vanished,

and that fat, lazy, stupid boy

has an intelligence, and beauty all his own.

It's my life, and I get to choose



And then we jam to the end.

This is a big change, and pulling the resolve out is dangerous.
I can try it Sunday?

What do we think?

Jeff … give me a call when you get a chance


Summary and Issues after the first weekend
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
5:24 PM

Here are some fixes and discussions related to the program.
Some of this is informational for those not at the rehearsal

WALK ON ---
I need to fine tune … but here is the idea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxx
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX then

Regardless of tradition, regardless of innovation, what remains is the commitment to youth.
Drum corps teaches life lessons. Drum corps allows for the talented and good, to learn more of
who they are and who they might become. It is a process. It is a learning experience. It is an
experience that stays with the members for all time.

Tonight, within the confines of the traditional idiom of drum corps, we explore the values that
make the activity special and so influential in the lives of those who participate.
Community, Work Ethic, Choice … and the question of the innovation of tradition! We look to
explore each.

Enjoy ladies and gentlemen … Welcome ….. The CADETS

OPENING

INTRO ( 48 counts)
Appalachian Spring Lick -- played by 6 is at 128 or so .. The corps is moving at 156 so, that needs to
be coordinated to the hit. We did some of this at camp but it has to be fine tuned.
There is voice here … in a kind of cacophony
Coming in about count 24 …
I believe in Mystery
I believe in family
I believe in being who I am
I believe in the power of music
I believe that normal life can be extraordinary
THIS I BELIEVE

 Which happens just before the bit into Symphonic Movement.

Overture of Symphonic Movement

- On the recording on the 23rd -- all the voices seemed a bit slow. I may need to cut out a word or two?
- Joe's voice is SO deep that it seems out of place as a young person. He is a great narrator.
○ As for the words -- good
The extension of the chords -- good


○ The extension of the chords -- good
○ I still worry a tad about the rolls on the keys -- I feel like it is not enough.

- Music
○ All good
○ END OF D -- Measure 58 I believe -- we need more on the 2 16ths and the 8th! BIG!!!

- WORDS
○ The geographic references from E on are fine I guess. I did not plan it like that .. It just sort of
happened that way. ONE THING -- the final quote before H -- with all of the silence … needs to be
far more dramatic! I think I can do a better job with the words.

- MUSIC

○ We need cymbal and metallic support -- for sure at letter I and I think in the section and swells
before letter I …. For sure letter I … far more dramatic! Hopefully … I have not seen the drill here,
we can indeed get the sense of the field MOVING … as it were.

- WHAT TOM and I guess we all now call LETTER J

VOICE
• I love the idea that we have one line that continues through different speakers. Is this going to be able
to be the horn players or do I have to move this to the pit?
• There is clearly a danger of balance here, I was hoping for the corps to be moving downstream at this
section but that appears it may not be the situation. Something to look at.
It is key that we are able to grow the intensity of the voice as the intensity of the music occurs

LAST NOTE

 Forget the cute tag … give me the chord to finish it off!

I think this is all for me …

For now :-) at least on the opener.

AS FOR BLUE SHADES

- If I may pat myself on the back, I think the Martha Graham quote as one single idea in the beginning of
the piece makes all of the sense in the word. Hopefully, within the visual, there is the chance for small,
quot;cutequot; visual nuance with some of her comments. Love moving in time to her voice in the first 24.

- Musical change good.

- Quotes on practice are good. Make sense .. Second quote could be a bit more natural.

MUSIC

Following the trumpet section I worry about the Bari lead into the finale of this section?
Too intricate? Seems like we struggle here a good deal.


Following the trumpet section I worry about the Bari lead into the finale of this section?
Too intricate? Seems like we struggle here a good deal.

LETTER E -- the Instructor Section

Love this … need to lay the voice in against what we see and against the rise and the fall of the music.
As soon as we see the drill I think we are good to go here.

All the way to the end of the down and dirty --

GOOD MUSIC -- I think all sets up well. We talked about a one idea drill move during the trumpet solo!
Make sense.

OVERALL - ENDING!

We need to make sure we are creating visual excitement during the breaks for the voice. Keep on
drilling. If we need a count or three -- let me know.

I do feel like the voice has been gone too long before the end. Could be me … a glutton for punishment.
Anyone else?

All for Blue Shades

Need to finish later ---


Blue Shades Brings Martha Graham Quotes to Life

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