School and Community Winter 2024

The Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment band was visited by Ireland’s Consul General, Robert Hull, who extended an invitation for the group to perform in the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin. In recent years, the band has also marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and performed at Pearl Harbor. At the November 2023 Bands of America Grand Nationals Championship, the Golden Regiment was named 2023 Class 3A National Champions, earning fourth place overall out of over 90 bands.

of the organization. If we do not have our culture, we have nothing. Accomplishing something as a group what no one person could have done on their own is one of the most powerful and rewarding experiences a person can have. This is an incredible life lesson and the cornerstone to our beliefs. Students learn to make sacrifices, to try hard not just for themselves but because of the individuals standing on either side of them. When they can begin to realize that it is not about them, but it is about everybody else, doors open for amazing things to happen. Second Gear: Think in “Twos” Shifting into second gear, students must be taught to think beyond the moment. We encourage the students to live in the future. If they do “X,” the result may be “Y.” Every decision they make has intended (and unintended consequences). Too often, students will decide to do “X” without knowing what the resulting “Y” will be. An essential life skill is to think in twos and say, “If I do this, then that will happen.” One of our common phrases in band is: “Live in the future - plan in the present.” On a fundamental music level, students should see how taking a breath in the wrong place can quickly become a major musical problem later in the phrase or a high note that will not come out because of lack of air. On a more global level, skills like planning with personal schedules, managing time on trips and thinking about how actions can affect the future (effort, focus, grit, being kind, what they do when no one is watching, etc.) are vitally important. The essence of the second gear is teaching students the value of living beyond the current moment. Third Gear: The Power of “3hree” Band engages the mind, body and soul simultaneously. It is the synthesis of math, history, science, language, personal expression and physical education. Music teaches personal responsibility, discipline, determination, perseverance, respect, higher level thinking, aesthetics and expression. It builds self-esteem in students by providing challenges which require personal sacrifices to meet. For example, a student must display great physical endurance on the marching field while staying in step with the correct style, playing their memorized music and being aware of their body orientation and tempo of the ensemble. They must also maintain form, watch the drum major, play in front or behind the beat based on where they are on the field and adjust to pulse centers that often change every four measures - all while staying in tune with great tone while performing for live spectators. This is an enormous task, but individuals who can learn to engage all “3hree” will

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