Things I will take away from playing in the All-State Band at the 2009 All-State Festival in Boston, MA:

-"The eyes are the mirrors to the soul." - Robert W. Smith, Conductor

The kids, band, and conductor were all absolutely phenomenal, fantastic, amazing. Unreal, it was, playing under one of the most, actually, probably the most learned, prolific, and intelligent person I have ever encountered, sitting next to the next headliners of the music world.

The players in the band have a true sense of music - one of my roommates had perfect pitch. though some were a little crazy, it was something else to see over 100 people come together to create something new.

Standing amid smiles, a standing ovation, a feeling of euphoria in the grandeur that is the renowned Boston Symphony Hall. A true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Yet, one cant help feel a little hollow emptiness. These people, I'll never see most of them, ever again. The little waves that are our lives have converged to this one point, but from now, they will most likely ripple outward, increasingly away. These musicians, many will become full-flegded music people - educators, directors, professionals. Yet, they'll still go away, into the unknown, into obscurity. You want to keep getting to know them, even the ones that are a tad annoying, but it ends.

its weird, satisfying but unsatisfying, happy but sad, you want the rehearsals to be over but want to keep playing. a mix of everything. never know

the other thing ill take away, is a new sense of tolerance. things can be slightly annoying, but who am i to hate