NYSSMA Weekend

This past weekend was the NYSSMA All-State Conference, a wonderful weekend when all the music teachers around the state get together and be musical geeks without anyone making fun of them, but instead joining in.  What a weekend is has been for me! It started off with a hilarious drive to Rochester where i found of i forgot underwear, so we went to Kohl's to pick some up.  Then on Friday morning we went to a session on teaching jazz improv to young students, it was great.  I know about free improv, but i have no background in Jazz so it was very helpful.   

After that I was going to walk around the booths, but i saw an old friends father Mark Brenner of Port Washington School District.  After a long conversation of catching up, I found out that there might be an opening in their SD and he wants me to send in my resume because they would LOVE to have me there!  I GOT A JOB OFFER PEOPLE THIS IS HUGE!  I was so ecstatic i didn't know what to do with myself.  I found my favorite person in the world Alan Orloff and told him and he gave me a huge hug and told me to go to the SCMEA part that night.  After a fun filled day of seeing my cousin Nick in the mixed choir and having dinner with them, I went over to the FSU Alumni Party for a little while, and then went to the SCMEA part, where i was greeted by a tub filled with Ice and Beer and platters of sushi and any other kind of food you could think of.  I had a wonderful time meeting so many huge people on the island.

Saturday I basically hung out in the convention center and bought music and talked with a lot of people including my cooperating teaching and director, both are very excited for me to go to Sayville, Pete DeSalvo, the director of the High School Bands, basically told me that the Concert Band was mind for the spring concert!  I am now extremely excited about student teaching.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning was when all of the High School All-State Concerts happen.  They were great!  I had a great time seeing everyone and doing a lot of great things.  Now I'm back at school, catching up on work, realizing that the next time I'm on the thruway Im going home.  Scary but im really excited to go home now and do musical things there!

Off to Dinner and Spanish work before I go to bed and have my last week of undergraduate classes ever!