George N. Parks and the UMass Drum Major Academy - Post #257

So, I just spent five days at the University of Massachusetts learning to be a drum major from the amazing and wonder George N. Parks. It was literally one of the best weeks of my life. I learned to conduct every time signature that exists, practicing to Pirates, Marc Anthony, Al Jarreau, and Hook. I learned to lead a parade routine to the dreaded Florentiner March. I learned to march better than I ever have in my life, from him, from my squad leader, from my squad, and from teaching and fixing my squad. I learned to stay cool in a competition. I learned to spin and throw a mace. I learned how to salute. I learned how to lead a band that doesn't want to be led. I learned to make the most of my life. I made amazing, amazing friends.

My squad was made up of the squad leader, a veteran (someone who'd been there last year) senior named Matt, another veteran senior named Siobhan (sha-VAUN), a senior named Mike, a junior named Jen, me, and a sophomore named Derek. Matt was an amazing leader whose awkward sense of humor and general outgoing personality really taught us a lot and brought us together as a team. Siobhan had a very maternal personality, and kept everyone calm and on track when we were a little too hyper. Mike was a big quiet guy, but a terrific parade leader and a shyly cheerful addition to the group. Jen was also pretty quiet, but equally cheerful and reassuring to have around, as we were about the same skill level. Derek was a hilariously outgoing kid with a bright personality and an addictive smile. Together, we were unstoppable. Then there was Derek's flamboyant, amazing, Brazilian friend Natan who was in Rachel's squad and spoke Portuguese, my shy but wonderful roommate Shannon who traded goldfish and boyfriend stories with me at five thirty in the morning, and the quirky and bubbly Michelle who spoke Korean and had an adorable laugh.

There was a parade routine and some form fixing we had to do in competition. Everyone had to run it. The first day Matt and Siobhan went, and we did okay. In out little group of four, we came in third. Nick and Rachel were in squads 29 and 31 so they were with us in that group of four, and came in 2nd and 4th. It was okay, but after that Matt had us out (via text message) at the parking lot practicing at 7:30 in the morning, half an hour before everyone else started showing up and an hour before we actually had to be there.

The second day Mike and Derek went. Mike was great, loud and commanding, and Derek was doing great too, until during the random commands section he called a left turn harch and I, of course, went right. Determined not to show it, I kept going, straining my ears to hear his mark time harch and detail halt. Then...

"Iona, about face!"
"One, two!"
"Iona, march time harch! Forward harch!"
-I march back over.-
"Iona, marck time harch! Detail halt!"
"One, two!"

Then he called us to parade arms and we did this awesome staggered salute we'd practiced, and what do you know. For obvious extra work and staying cool under disaster, our squad placed first of four! We were elated.

Day three, of course, was mine and Jen's time to go. I felt like I did terribly, I was so nervous, marching on the wrong foot and forgetting to call mark time when I did the hand command...terrible. But when it came to it, we ended up first again! Jen and I jumped into each other's arms screaming in excitement. We ran into a circle, just our squad, and did our chant. "SQUAD THIRTY! ONE SQUAD! ONE MIND!" It felt amazing.

All the groups of four squads do a dumb cheer or something to get pumped after a competition, so we did the hokey pokey in a circle, but then I had an idea, and I was too hyper not to say it. Ther is a giant bizarre metal statue in the middle of the area we practice on that is affectionately referred to as the "giant purple pants" and because of me, squads 29, 30, 31, and 32 jumped around right underneath it chanting "PARTY IN THE PANTS" at the top of our lungs. Yeah. That kind of ridiculous excitement, all week long.

So many dumb jokes...Halloweentown and oompa loompa harch and detail, present cake and you spin me right round baby right rough like a rolloff baby and arm pizza and doilies and our Italian superhero...in five days, we made such great friends.

We also heard some amazing speeches, Enjoy Life Club and the DCI snare champion and Christmas and a blind drum major, and we were laughing and crying and there is just something about George N. Parks that makes you want to go out and change the world just to make him proud of you. He is definitely one of my heroes now. It's impossible to describe.

I learned to fix a squad. "Ready, form check, interval, alignment, RUNBACK! ch, chch ch, chch ch, chch ch..." I learned about syncopated rhythms and staying positive and making a band believe. I did better than I have ever done in a marchoff (I made it to the first salute!!). i did zero pushups in Medusa. I screamed and cheered for doing pushups, at a movie of the UMass marching band, at mace throws and people saluting. I fell into bed every night exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I am so going back next year.

--Iona