Opening of the Beaches Parade 2015

90 degrees and sunny, with a decent breeze blowing (depending on which way you were facing).  I forgot to ask someone to take my picture while marching, so you get the preparatory pix.

Purple shoes.......check.

Workout gloves........check.

Tambourine......check.

Warming up at Wells Fargo

We usually go first in the line-up, but they changed that this year.  We finally stepped-off at 2:15.  Thankful it didn't rain on our parade, although, it may have been refreshing at the 1-mile point.

Saw a couple of chorus kids and one keyboard kid on the parade route.  Always fun to see folks you know lined up along the street.  It's nice that they come out and cheer on the band.  After all, we are the "Pride of the Beaches."

I told the band director that this was the 69th year this parade had been held and I bet I was the first ever to march with a tambourine.  It is fitting.  My last name is Tamburrino!!

Until next time...

Recruiting for Chorus

Today, we made the mad-dash across Seagate Avenue to join the FHS Drum Line and Color Guard on their annual recruiting trip to our feeder school.  Although we were missing quite a few seniors because of Grad Bash, we decided to go anyway!

The chorus teacher at the middle school invited us over early to warm-up in the room where she was teaching a 6th grade chorus class.  We sang several vocalises for them and my Ladies Chamber Chorus sang "Cantate Domino."  We finished our time together by singing a medley of Disney songs from "Beauty and the Beast," "The Jungle Book" and "Mary Poppins."  The kids seemed to enjoy the experience and it was good for my students to step outside of our classroom and share their gift of song with others.

We then made our way to the gymnasium for an 8th grade assembly.  We sang, the Color Guard twirled and the Drum Line wrapped up the event for everyone.  At the conclusion of the program, two of my boys from the elementary school where I previously taught came flying off the bleachers and ran across the gym to give me a hug.  It was awesome!! I hadn't seen those boys in years and they were so excited to see me.  That made my day!!

This is the very room in which my choral conducting career began.....

(circa 1973)

Good times.....

Seniors 2015

Wednesday was a spectacular day to take a senior photo on the beach!!  

Last year, we suffered through a nor'easter to try to get a photo taken and it was pretty funny.  If I placed the students with their back to the ocean, their hair flew perpendicular to their faces and it was hilarious.  We had to settle with the condos along the coastline as our backdrop for the Senior plaque in 2014.  Real bummer!

This year, we had a much better opportunity and I am grateful to Hannah for taking time out of her busy day to assist with the annual photo shoot.  My choice for the plaque is the shot in which a seagull photo-bombed the chorus members, but this one is the groups' "Class of 2015" shot.

See their hands?  2 - 0 - 1 - 5

And, of course, there has to be a goofy one...

I would post the one I'm going to use on the plaque, but would like to keep it a surprise as long as possible.

Until next time...