school ensemble trips: repair-guy perspective

[mikebmiller]

Most of my HS band career was spent on school buses, but we did go to Europe in the summer of '77 - where we spent 3 weeks on more buses. We managed to see every sight in Europe in 3 weeks, for about 30 seconds each. I do remember playing some pretty cool venues and we had good audiences. Between the band and orchestra, we had enough people to charter a whole plane, so I think the tubas survived OK. Of course we had those old huge tubas with the front facing bell. I don't even know what kind they were (I am actually a trombone player who dabbles in euph, rather than a tuba player). I think you could drop one of those out of a plane without denting it.

[Three Valves]

In 1977 I spent 10 hours on a bus to Toronto. I still have flashbacks every time I smell a Diesel engine.

My advise to young bandsmen and ladies, is be careful who you sit next to during such endeavors, because chances are, you will get to know one another really well.

I wish I could remember her name....