Drum Major

2 days of mini band camp.

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 01:03:00 -0400

1st day of being legit drum major, it was the most exciting day so far yet. I honestly was nervous a bit with commands and leading the stretches and conducting. But overall i gained new ideas and plan for drum majoring. It is a lot more complicated than middle school drum majoring, but on the other hand, its more fun. We will start doing legit practices on 5th of july and band camp in august, and i am looking forward on those day.

Day 2 Scottish. Wow, i received an award, i’ve never guess...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:56:59 -0400

Day 2 Scottish. Wow, i received an award, i’ve never guess or expected. 1st place out of Juveniles with experience under 2 years and 2 place score of 94 tied with jose. 1st place was Bryce Grant with score of 95. I was 1 point away from him and i did receive 1 point deduction due to the fact of having a yellow stain on my right sock. But it was a great honor and very fun. I will continue doing the art of scottish drum majoring and as i perorm more competition i will start buying scottish uniforms.

First day of scottish game. not bad not bad, it was all good...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:48:08 -0400

First day of scottish game. not bad not bad, it was all good even though i really didnt win or achieve anything, it was a fun day. Last year i scored 84 and this year too, its been 1 year i’ve started doing scottish games and it sure its fun and not regretful. tomorrow i hope ill do a lot better cuz today i didnt use all the routines i made up and my mace broke few hours before competition, which sucked, but overall great day.

It was the day of the final decision, all these days i’ve...

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:41:39 -0400

It was the day of the final decision, all these days i’ve been waiting for trying to earn the position. Well today, Mr. Alvo announced the results. I did get the position and honestly right now i cant even describe how excited and happy i am for future band practices. Now that im a drum major, i am in control of the band and i will lead better than i did in alvarado. the best one that leads best out of 3 of us Isabell, Lawrence and me will get the main podium during the season. That is my new goal and i will successfully achieve that goal. I thank all the supports that has helped me through out the way,all the here. Tomorrow and sunday, i have scottish competition and best of luck for myself !

Drum Major Try Outs

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:29:08 -0400

Everything, I was satisfied except one thing. I let Peaches borrow my music binder so he can make the copy of the scores, then when he put it back, he put it in different orders and it threw me off during my tryouts. But other than that, everything was good and I will now just wait till the banquet !

Clean run, but not as satisfied. I’ve made mistakes and...

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:09:22 -0400

Clean run, but not as satisfied. I’ve made mistakes and created new habits on this day and just didn’t work out. I felt like i over practiced and was very nervous about this. During my double butter fly my hand was in the way, my step off’s last move to beat one was wrong and more. I wish I’ve done better, but the only thing i can do now is just to fix the mistakes and never do it again. It was a fun day though, this didn’t kill me. I was still happy with my result, beating Drum Major Jose Argueta. Albert in other hand did a fantastic job, ended with 2nd place and I am very proud and happy for him. Once again, it was an amazing year, meeting new drum majors and supporters. Some of the cool things happened today was they called out my name during Alberts performance and i just freaked out. Also starting from this year, WDMA started to recognize the world class performers with their band histories and other good stuffs. It was very nice and gave us the hardcore feelings. Anyways I will continue to work hard to get back on the track. I thank everyone who supported me with this and I will always be glad that I started doing this activity.

Venue: Loara HS Championships

Date: April 9th, 2011

Place: 4th out of 7

Score: 92.7

Judge: Joseph Paguio, Michael Kim, Richard Wilson

I guess I can say my conducting was really good for the 1st year...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 23:59:18 -0400

I guess I can say my conducting was really good for the 1st year trying. I won 1st place with about 1.5+ ahead of 2nd place drum major. I was nervous for the first time, i never felt nervous about conducting. But i guess the word “championship” turns my feeling upside down. Well this means i won state championships for open class 2 years in a row, another name engraved in the plaque. What makes me really proud is, i achieved my goal. I wanted to get my name under my instructor Gina, and with the hard work and passion i put into, it came true. Unfortunately, Drum Major Abe Cruz, whose been getting 3rd place about 4 times in a row received 4th today leaving WDMA due to his age limit. It was a great year experiencing new stuffs. Next year i will be going up against other great conductors including current rivals, Lawrence and Isabel.

Venue: Loara HS Championship 2011 WDMA

Date: April 9th, 2011

Place: 1st out of 15

Score: 89.48

Judge: Joseph Paguio & Richard Wilson

This is the same day with the blog below. Well conducting...

Tue, 24 May 2011 01:06:14 -0400

This is the same day with the blog below. Well conducting isn’t so bad I took 1st and I thought I did my best too. I don’t have much to say about this but what was really funny was the first Drum Major up didn’t know the drill and this is how it went. Announcer: Drum Major, is your band ready ? Her answer was “yes” this was dumb. She didn’t know anything so her friends had to tell her during competing. She even did the drill backwards, not to be mean but her skills weren’t impressive either. Well I am aiming to get my name under champs next week under my teach Gina’s. If I do, it will be a great honor and I will state champs once again except for Open Conducting this time. Time to practice!

Date: April 2nd, 2011

Venue: Riverside King HS

Place: 1st out of 12

Score: 95.5

Judge: Andrew Cheung

You know this years spinning judge sucks. I know they’ve...

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:59:50 -0400

You know this years spinning judge sucks. I know they’ve been around from the past too but this year, they are out of control. Just like last week I didn’t get my award for mace. Chris Cortez from Glendora HS took 1st place with a mistake in the opener just like David Wang from last week except not that bad. I guess whoever sucks at opener gets 1st place now? I understood the 1st time mistakes and this keeps on going for 3 weeks in a row with my 3 cleanest run through in a row. I am not happy with WDMA’s judging system. What judge told me today was my music sucked, so I guess he decided to take off 4 points from general effect giving Chris the highest. This is ridiculous, I had so many chances to show off my videos and name and my own entitled pride but the judge screws me over. My middle school band director was there to watch me Mr. Krumbine and other supporters. We all thought I was getting 1st, but didn’t happen. Anyways Albert got 1st in flourish sections with a highest WDMA record of 49. It is amazing to see him spin, but he got out of step that killed him. Next week is champs and for the last time I am begging to get a good judge.

Date: April 2nd, 2011

Venue: Riverside King HS

Place: 4th out of 7

Score: 90.0

Judge: Andrew Cheung

Honestly I wasn’t planning on doing this because non of...

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:49:10 -0400

Honestly I wasn’t planning on doing this because non of the RRR kids were doing it and only 1 from alvarado decided to do it. But I asked to cancel my competition little too late. So I ended up competing today and I do not regret it at all. Yesterday was Disney and for this whole weekend I didn’t practice but this was my best so far this year. I and every spectators agreed I should have taken that 1st place but unfortunately it was the worst judge Rusty Givens once again. I had not a single mistake in this run through and added new feature that day too impress everyone. 1st place went to my fellow Drum Major David Wang from Arcadia HS. He knows he doesn’t deserve the 1st with the huge mistake he had in the beginning. I was not annoyed by that fact, I was actually glad until the judge told me this himself. He knew I wasn’t happy from last weeks placements and scores and this time, he decided to give me 2nd when I performed the best out there while others slipped and made mistakes. He personally said this “so are you happy now?” twice. I am not happy with that, let’s talk logic here. I never asked him to give me high scores nor placements because I don’t like when I get placed low. I ask to judge correctly to give me the appropriate score and the placements. I know that 1st was mine but once again haters gonna hate. Rusty just can’t accept my creativity. Well things aren’t over, I have Riverside King HS next week and Champs at Loara HS week after that. It will be exciting and fun.

Date: March 26th, 2011

Venue: Eastlake HS

Place: 2nd out of 4

Score: 95.4

Judge: Rusty Givens

Notes: lost by .1 and I regret not signing up for conducting because Rusty gave out really high scores today for some reason.

Today was so unexpected. Drum Majoring for 3 years and today was...

Sun, 22 May 2011 16:31:00 -0400

Today was so unexpected. Drum Majoring for 3 years and today was the worst day. I practiced extra, harder and more focused then usual, it was home school and I really wanted to show off at my home school. I did switch for my mace, from I cant lie to Listen to Your Heart. I was able to choreograph with this music compare to my old one. I did felt little awkward using this song and plus World Mace was first class to compete today due to other multiple Drum Majors having jazz band competitions. After competing, I was satisfied with my show-off and thought I would have high chance of placing. I was so disappointed during award ceremony. My score was one of the lowest score I have ever received, 82.2 in World Mace when I did a fine job. Albert ended up with 79. Something was wrong, so we asked Rusty, the judge after and the reason was because of our music. He said it wasn’t choreographed nor matched the spinning. But few older drum major honestly told the truth, it was Albert and I shouldn’t receive scores like that. So it was one time bad judging. Well I still wasn’t happy for my conducting either. 6th place, it was around middle. It was just horrible, I thought i did really good, but I understand a little for this one. When my music started it was a piano section. Then from the other side, loud music started to blast and I was able to keep up with my tempo, I lost few beats in the beginning then got back on track. What’s really interesting about today was that, I had to call the band to attention and stand by then call attention again for both category I competed in. And with the bad judging, Last year at SD eastlake I ended up with 4th and this time too. Few things that would be memorable will be beating Albert in conducting by .1 and same conducting giving me 2 weeks ago 6th after. Well today will be past and I will just focus Riverside King in 2 weeks!

Date: March 19th, 2011

Venue: Alvarado IS

Place: 4th out of 6 (Mace) 6th out of 11 (Conducting)

Score: 82.2 (Mace) 81.8 (Conducting)

Judge: Rusty Givens (Mace) Joseph Paguio (Conducting)

Same day with Glendora, I actually did this performance before...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:55:50 -0400

Same day with Glendora, I actually did this performance before mace but I like to post good ones later. Anyways my first time conducting for WDMA, I wasn’t as nervous how I usually would and I thought it was because I was well prepared. So today I ended up 1st place and 1 last place which was kind of irony, but it was fun. Conducing honestly isn’t that exciting.

Date: March 5th, 2011

Venue: Glendora HS

Place: 1st out of 6

Score: 85.5

I think jinx will happen at Glendora HS from now on. Last year I...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:50:00 -0400

I think jinx will happen at Glendora HS from now on. Last year I screwed up on every tosses, this year I dropped. Normally, I always catch my equipment. Last time I dropped was 2 years ago at my Drum Major tryouts. Well this drop was just so unexpected. Before I got on, I did over practice a little and got really nervous, plus the sun was facing where my double parallel was going to be done. Coming back from the counter march, right before I do my last move to go into salute, my finger tip hits the mace on a 1.5 rotation toss. I freaked out, I was right at the corner next to all these cameras. Then soon I became really really nervous so I had chose not to do my double helicopter. Also, next time I have to be standing on the L, this time I rushed so much in the beginning with hesitation. Ended up last for my class but it was all good. New feelings, learned new stuffs.

Date: March 5th, 2011

Venue: Glendora HS

Place: 7th out of 7

Score: 90.7

So here I am again writing a post about Drum Majoring…...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:41:55 -0400

So here I am again writing a post about Drum Majoring… Honestly I haven’t wrote stuffs about practices because I did get lazy. Well I am glad WDMA is back with season 3! I competed in World Mace Class with 4 others today placing 2nd. I used the legendary peacock mace as you can see on the video, and I felt like I did really good. I had few mistakes here and there but nothing bothers me now. It is a new season and I was just glad to see new drum majors. Some of the good news are all the AIS and RHS Drum Majors placed. 7 representatives, 10 medals earned. And as of 3rd year competing here at South, no jinx happened today! Amazing and proud. I have 2 more weeks to have my next one at Glendora, and I will conduct that day also.

Date: Feb 19th 2011

Venue: South El Monte

Place: 2nd out of 5

Score: 94.1

Over the summer I’ve been practicing with the new peacock,...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:30:32 -0400

Over the summer I’ve been practicing with the new peacock, I am finally used to it and performed a 2nd Scottish comp. It was really really bad, but i had really really fun, and like I said, I’d like to keep Scottish Festival as a fun comp not a competitive one. But yeah, I did get out of time which threw Chris Cortez off and even all the instructors were off, but we had lots of fun.

1993 Peacock

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:21:05 -0400

Bryan asked me if i needed a mace, I obviously did.. So i met up with him and this other guy Michael Kim. He was Drum Major at Montebello HS years ago known as a legend and undefeatable. The story tells that Rocky did beat him once and that gave him a hope to start WDMA few years ago. Anyways 3 of us went to Guppy House, shared stories and ate food. He told me he had a mace thats been in garage for 10 years and wanted to know if there was anyone out there that needed a mace and were dedicated to drum majoring. I received the mace from him promising him that I was going to practice a lot and use this for WDMA 2011 season. So Next year I will use this !!

First time doing Scottish, it was really fun, learning new...

Wed, 18 May 2011 01:07:44 -0400

First time doing Scottish, it was really fun, learning new styles and experiments. I stayed in time with good foot drill receiving 87 which is a fairly good score for first time try. I will continue doing this but I really would like to do this for non-competitive reasons but just for fun. There is a video of this one but as of now I can not post it up.

Here it is, my name engraved on this plaque for 18 years. Whats...

Mon, 16 May 2011 19:19:49 -0400

Here it is, my name engraved on this plaque for 18 years. Whats really cool is I also found out that I had the highest average for Open mace with a score of 94.1

WDMA 2010 Season was just awesome, met new Drum Majors, parents...

Mon, 16 May 2011 01:47:50 -0400

WDMA 2010 Season was just awesome, met new Drum Majors, parents & supporters. Experience with 7th grade trainees and winning 1st 4times out of 5 competitions. Today I took 1st place leaving my name behind on the plaque for the future Open Class Mace Champions. I was nervous than ever, my heart was beating just like the time i stood on the L for the 1st time. My mind kept thinking about other stuffs, I had to focus. Than soon enough the music started and my mace was spinning. I had started my competitions, and it ended very well. I was just smiling for the whole time. Going up to get my plaque and 1st medal in front of everyone, especially Albert, trainees, other Drum Majors and also my very own band director Mr. Krumbine. We shook hands afterwards and also with everyone else. The feelings, my expressions can not be written in words but the scenery will always be in my mind. I thank all of my supporters for leading me to this pathway and receiving 1st with great honor. I am done with WDMA season 2 and will wait for next year!

Date: April 3rd, 2010

Venue: Riverside King HS

Place: 1st out of 6

Score: 94.2

Judge: Jason Paguio, Richard Willson

WDMA 2010 Open Class Mace Champion

Now I am back on track, satisfied with all of the things that...

Mon, 16 May 2011 00:58:39 -0400

Now I am back on track, satisfied with all of the things that happened today. Some of cool things were obviously receiving 1st but besides that, this kid name Spencer Akers and his dad came up to me for some help. They told me they’ve been watching me spin, compete and my videos from past. His dad offered me 50 bucks per lessons to teach his son, but the problem was I wanted to focus for myself and he lived down at Palm Spring which was too far. I had to reject the offer but to get some kind of offer like that from someone was very honorable. Well and here we go with my jinx with South El Monte, 2 years in a row something bad happens. 1 hour before was up, while practicing I did a round out stabbing my hip by accident and the mace snapped in half. This was bad, I tried to put it back on but it was possible. I went to see Bryan about this and luckily he found a solution for me. Justine Talkesnik from Beckmen HS let me barrow his mace, and on top of that he also let me take it home and use it for the champs. He wasn’t able to compete for champs, so it all worked well. Speaking of Justin, his Drum Major Evan Dixon was just hilarious. He like to DJ just like me, so he decided to add some cool effects for his song, it will be very memorable. Today was good, next week finally championship, I’m going to work hard to get my name up in the plaque and win Open Mace Champ. 2 years in a row @ south.. let’s see about next year !

Date: March 27th, 2010

Venue: South El Monte

Place: 1st out of 8

Score: 89.3

Judge: Joshua Riturban