On Saturday, December 8, eleven members of the NDP concert band and I traveled to Washington DC to participate in the Catholic University High School Honors Band, led by John Mitchell. We began the day at 5:30 a.m. at NDP to take the Blazer Bus to DC. Once we got to DC, we sleepily trudged out of the silent Blazer bus (the seniors demanded their sleep!) into the warm-up room, and then into separate classrooms for seat placements.

At about 8 a.m., we were led into the auditorium and placed in our seats. From that moment on, we began practicing with the new band. We played for about two and a half hours without a break; by the end, I was ready for a nap! However, the day wasn’t even halfway through.

We were then separated into two groups. The brass group stayed on stage, while the woodwind group exited into another room. Both had the opportunity to listen to members of the Marine Band. After listening to a few songs played by the quintets, the musicians talked to us about their journeys as musicians, what it means to be a member of the Marine Band, and general questions about pursuing a career in music. This was one of my favorite parts of the whole day; it was truly an honor to listen to and speak with the members of the quintet.

We finished up with the Marine Band and had lunch. Then, it was back to rehearsal! This time, we were a little more rushed, trying to make four songs concert-ready in mere hours. At this point, we were all exhausted! However, we were able to push through until around 4 p.m., when the CUA concert band began to prepare for their portion of the concert, and we were about to change into our black and white.

Finally, it was time to perform! The honors band played four songs before the CUA concert band got on stage to play some of their songs. The concert ended with a combination of the Honors Band and the CUA Concert Band playing “Sleigh Ride,” an NDP concert band favorite. I was happy that the day went well, but I was more thankful for the fact that I could go home and sleep!

Overall, the trip was a great success, and everyone left the concert exhausted but content with the day’s work. In an email to us, Mr. Mitchell said, ” I was impressed by the maturity of the musicianship and the cooperation during the long day of activities.” The day might have been long, but it was also extremely fun. We left the auditorium that day with new experiences, new musical knowledge, and maybe most importantly, new friends. Junior Mary Tipton said, “It was my second year doing the band. I was so excited to see people that I met last year!” She can’t wait for the trip next year, and neither can I!