Marimba Master

“Francesca Giraldo is a  senior at SBHS that is admired by those in her section and a girl who gives her best all the time.

The first time I ever met Fran I didn’t know her at all or even know about her. It was when the High School stings came down to practice with us for a concert. She was also a first violin like me and I being a shy little 7th grader saw the way  she played and thought “wow.” I just wondered how much she must practice to be able to play the parts that I couldn’t play. After that I didn’t see her until the next year when i joined the SBHS marching band in 8th grade. She was a sophomore in high school the same as my older sister and they became great friends and slowly I began knowing her more and more.

Francesca is the daughter to a talented musician, Frank Giraldo, with whom she sings and plays piano within church events and at home for fun. They record music together as well as individually, while in school she plays in the SBHS Concert Band, Marching Band, Drumline, and Orchestra, playing Marimba, Violin, Piano, and guitar at home. During the marching band season Francesca was appointed Assistant Drum Major and represented the SBHS Band along with the other leaders at ceremonies and camps.  With a family full of musicians Francesca is  able to explore any musical boundaries she is curious about and is able to share her mutual love and passion for music with her family.

This is a warm up

A fun little tune

A Dream of Champions

Sunday April 12, 2015 was the ADLA Semifinals competition, where for many drum lines this competition was do or die or rather, impress the judges or forget about going to finals.

 Being the last competition for many and the last one before the biggest competition of the season for the rest many drum lines and front ensembles gave it their all on the floor to present to the judges their best and hardest work. 

Many groups came out sweating bullets, other groups came out beaming knowing that they had done their best work and some came out with grimaces on their faces knowing that they had made mistakes that probably cost the entire line its ticket to Champs. After all the groups of the division performed there would be a small awards ceremony where a certain number of drum lines were admitted into champs. How it works, getting into champs, is that throughout the season each drum line performs and with every performance the score awarded to them at the end of the competition places the line in a rank. Then based on the number of lines in that division you have to be in a certain position on the list to move on for example only 19/35 moving on means you have to be at least 19 or bellow to move up, the rest don’t move on and semifinals is their last competition of the season. For the people moving on to finals this must have been a very exciting announcement because after so much hard work, sweat, and tears they made it to champs and now have a chance to place in a California high school dummer’s most important event the ADLA state finals competition.

Drummers at the Beach

Every weekend or so it seems that a congregation of very cool people gather at the Santa Barbara beach to play drums by chase palm park. These talented men and women set up their instruments and start jamming, as is creating beats and improvising at random times to make music. For the people running at the beach on the bicycle track they pass these performers and many stop in their tracks to whip out  their phones and record them or even start dancing to their beats. Some people even set up chairs to just listen to their rhythms and see all the performers banging their drums. You do not have to be a professional to create music all you need is a functional body with dynamic limbs and an attraction to music. Most of these people are probably not professional just moms, dads, any normal Joe that likes music and creating a beat to be able to dance to. These drummers don’t use one type of drum they don’t even have a drum set there with crash or ride cymbals they have cowbells, congas, djembes most being hands only drums. Go out on a Saturday evening to the Santa Barbara Beach and just follow the beat of the drums to find this awesome group of talented musicians for yourself.

ADLA Titans

This last weekend March 28, 2015 one of the many ADLA competitions was held at the home of the Titans. This competition was filled with many schools from different parts of California big, small, advanced, or proficient all these drumlines gathered together to complete and attempt to make it to finals. This competition was near a cow farm so the smell of manure was constant and with the hot weather… Forget about it. Despite the smell the Titans were very hospitable guiding any lost soul. Then has various stands with food, merchandise, and information that provided guidance entertainment and nutrition.

Every Drumline there was running to and from place to place to change or get ready for their performance. Every Drumline present was dressed in either very unique or traditional drumline wear to match their performance and complete the picture.

After the smaller groups finished playing the bigger and more advanced lines performed before the awards ceremony.  For example Granada Hills High Schoolthat had a beautiful show with great props and movements that created a beautiful story line matching the playing of the line. They were winners in their division overall along with Rancho Verde High School winning in their division with their circus themed show. Each of these drumlines works very hard to achieve their once for finals and get to first place and be the Titans of their division.

Persistence and Dedication

What defines a winner? A winner is one that is successful especially through praiseworthy ability and hard work. But, how does on become a winner? Most people wish they were good at something or that they could achieve a goal they have set for themselves, but all this comes with hard work and dedication. In a drumline every student or player wishes they could play snare. Why? Well because playing snare is associated with being a good drummer and having the ability to lead.

 

 

Cedric Bobro came from a family where music was played, Mom playing piano, sister guitar, dad and his twin brother playing Bass, and with him playing drums the possibility of a family band doesn’t sound crazy.

 

 

Cedric began taking drum set lessons the summer between Jr. High and High School and continued them for six months. While in High School a friend told Cedric about the High School Drumline and he decided to join. He began by playing the Bass Drum and marching with the Marching band first semester and the Drumline second semester. The next year the drumline instructor noticed that Cedric had improved drastically and decided to move him up to snare and play with juniors and seniors. Now in his junior year of high school he played with only one other snare player during Marching band season holding up the tempo and the rhythm of the band.

Currently participating in the drumline performances and attending all practices he observes and absorbs any information provided by his instructors, captain, and peers getting ready for next year when he will  lead the drumline as the new drumline captain for 2015-2016 and keep tempo for the band year round. Persistence and dedication brought Cedric to reach a goal he set for himself and raise the bar of expectation for himself, but that has never been a problem because challenges are a great form of entertainment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alli Good Vibes

Remember that rainbow colored little instrument everyone had or wanted that was played with mallets and every time you hit a smaller block the pitch would go up like a piano. A Xylophone. Well the more professional and instrumental form of that is a Vibraphone or a Marimba which are like flat pianos played with mallets and are very rhythmic. The Marimba is a very popular instrument in South America, Mexico, and Africa, But is used everywhere to add more rhythm and shape to concerts or any kind groups. 

Alli is a Freshman in Highschool who had been playing clarinet since 3rd to 6th grade and then back in HighSchool. She Joined the SBHS Marching Dons and was a color guard tossing flags and rifles, while also playing Clarinet in the SBHS Jazz Ensemble. When second semester rolled in and the Marching season was over she joined the Drumline but wanted to learn how to play thVibes and be part of the Pit/ Percussion line. Allie wishes to continue playing for the SBHS Music Department in Jazz band,  Marching band, and drumline, as well as learn how to play the trumpet . Allie told me she is not interested in taking upon a position of leadership at the moment and would like to continue playing music after high school but only recreationally. Allie has been inspired by her Pit Captain Francesca Giraldo to continue playing Vibes and maybe move on to the Marimbas which is quite a bit harder and become the best in her section.   

ADLA Marina, California

I got to say the best experiences I have and enjoy every time are competitions be it with the Drum Line or the Marching Band. This Sunday, March 15, 2015 the Santa Barbara High School Drum Line and Color Guard performed at Marina High in Huntington Bay. We had to wake up at 5:00 am to get to school at 6:00 and get on the road at 7:00.

After a couple hours in a long car ride the students had snacks and looked around while the trailer showed up. All around the campus percussion music was being heard with groups warming up before their performances.

 

 

 

 

 

All schools and groups brought along with them trailers of various sizes to carry their back drops, tarps, and instruments proudly showing their school’s name on the side of their trailers and there were more than one schools who had tents set up to shield their students from the terrible heat and to keep the refreshments and food fresh.

 

     

The group helped unload the trailer, got dressed in their costumes, and went to warm up. As soon as warm up time was over the group went in to perform their show. (Due to the no video recording rule I was not able to get a video of the performance) After the SBHS Drum Line went to pack everything away neatly and receive a talk from the instructors complementing and giving constructive criticism on what needed to be worked on and what was good. Many of the student were not feeling good due to the high temperatures and the energy spent in the entire day leading to the performance, but with help from the teachers they were totally fine. Soon after the group left to have a group lunch and met at IN N’ OUT at have lunch and road back to school. During the car ride back we received the great news that we had placed 4th out of 19 groups competing against us. I have to admit I was confidant we would get AT LEAST 4th becasue we did very well but our show was not completely done and obviously like always there was going to be mistakes that cost us 3rd or even 2nd place. Next week we will have our show done and with a good cleaning I am sure we can place 2nd or maybe even 1st.

LETS GO DONS!

Stomp to the Rythm

Stomp is a “unique combination of percussion, movement and visual comedy,” that engrossed the viewer, making them unable to remove their eyes from the stage. Each performance is filled with original   even stomp to it, which of course is what the performers mainly used to create most of their rhythms. What I found most astonishing was how in sync everyone was with each other and the TIMING, the timing was amazing. Each performer came in at count they had to, creating no overlapping in sound which produced a continuous beat and continuation of visual surprises.

This performance gave me the chills on many occasions and I would hear it again and again if I could. These musicians used things they could have gotten cheap or reused from something they had in their house, this allows them to recycle things that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill. This form of performance in not only fun to hear but helpful to the environment because they don’t have to get instruments made, but create their own from ordinary objects. This form of music production is innovative and should be an inspiration for anyone and everyone to jump outside and start jamming with friend or even alone, but if you are afraid of public ridicule, look them up, check their tour dates and go check them out for yourselves.