kings county american legion headquartes band ( blogg nummer fire)

* first and foremost notice that all of my blogs have different languages in the title- ask what they are... (i know, im so cute teaching you all different ways to say things  =)   =p*

ok so  i know fabia did the same blog but i i didn't read hers yet and i want to see how different our views are on the same topic.  also, because we both thought this performance was inspiring and interesting.

the kings county american legion headquarters band is a volunteer band.  no one gets paid to perform or practice, it's just people from all back rounds and occupations who play a musical instrument, to come together and create beautiful music and enjoy what they are doing.

on a side note- i feel that nowadays people are always doing things to get a reward.  students go to class to get the credit, adults go to work to get the money, and i mean why else would you do things without getting a reward right?  im not trying to say that i would go work 40 hours a week and not take my check, or go to a class and not accept the credit im just saying that many people do things to get something out of it and not just for pure enjoyment.  engaging in an activity is more like something that you have to do instead of something that you want to do.  this band survives and thrives off of people who truly love music and care for the whole ensemble.i admire all of the band members admiration for their instrument, music, conductor, and fellow musicians.  they do not take time out of their busy schedules and practice hard for hours a week and wake up early and drive to a place to perform for money... they do it because that is their passion.

the conductor - SO CUTE! hes a 92year old man who seems like the nicest person ever!  his name is IRWIN MEYER and he served our country in the navy during world war 2 on the atlantic, mediterranean and pacific waters.  one thing i liked about him, besides the fact that he is so cute (i think when people are old and nice they are cute =)) he told us something that his mom told us that stuck in my head.  he said that his mother told him to never go into music professionally, don't go into anything professionally because it will consume your life and "while everyone is sleeping your still up".  literally meaning that when your kids are sleeping you wont be there and vise versa, you don't want to miss out on your life and your family's life.  he said "what do you want? your kids to be raised by strangers?"  i liked that it shows he cares for his family.  i feel that his mom said that because she knew the passion and love he had for music would be destroyed if he went pro and he would loose all the love and desire for it.  another thing that is really cool about his life is that his sister tried out for the rockettes and made it three times.  i love the rockettes!  he was also always surrounded by music and theater when he was a child which probably inspired him to excel in music.

i feel mr.meyer is a huge contribution to humanities because he served in the second world war and is still living to tell his stories which he shared with the audience. 

(before one of the songs he started to cry as he begun to tell us a scence from the war and how it relates to the peice the band was about to play; i felt bad because to live through any war is terrible and you have to be really brave and strong to move on from that... then to continue life after the war is even harder!not only did he move on but he is now teaching and sharing his stories with us.  and!!! he was so cute when he was crying like not that i want to see an old man sad but you just saw the emotion; the pain and joy and happiness and mourning and hardship and strength and everything else in his eyes; it was inspiring and an honor to witness his life all form together into an amazing piece of art, which was the music.  (and we all know how important music is to humanities!)

DID I FORGET TO METION... Licciardi is a band member and the associate conductor.  for those of you who do not know, licciardi is our band director at studio.  another thing you may or may not know i am part of the band at studio.  i play the trumpet and i love it!

-to see licciardi up there conducting was cool because i realized how much he is contributing to society and humanities by spreading his passion, joy, and knowledge of music.  to see him play and following someone else was a little weird because im used to him being the teacher/conductor not the player or the student. =p

they played at the new utrecht reformed church on 18th avenue and 84th street.  i thought that church was abandoned but they fixed it up and are transforming the historic church to a full functioning part of the community.  (the church was founded in 1667 - its mad old   =p  )