Spring Concert Music Review

Author's Note: This piece was written for band. It's a review of the spring concert. We had to follow a specific format so it was harder to write everything I wanted. 

On Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 I witnessed the 7th and 8th grade Asa Clark Middle school bands performing at the Pewaukee High School from 6:30 to 7:45 PM. Waves of gorgeous music filled the brand new auditorium. Magical sounds of music danced around the walls and ceiling, ringing in my ears. Hearing all the music was truly heartwarming. The bands played spectacular music throughout the whole concert with but a few mishaps.

First was the seventh grade portion of the concert. During the first song, they seemed to play a little bit off. Eventually their game was picked up however and finished together. Most of the pieces sounded very much the same. To help that, I just wish that overall their articulations and dynamics would shine through the shard of broken glass blocking their awesome inner musician.

After the seventh grade performance, the eighth graders started their portion of the concert. The first piece really sounded like a war because of their exceptional tone and balance. During the second piece although in the middle they slowed down, their dynamics and sharp attention to theme changes helped tremendously in the making of this piece’s sculpture.

Even though the bands had a few mishaps, the bands still played spectacular music throughout the entire concert. To improve just a little next time, both the bands should continue to try to stay together and pay attention to changes in music such as tempo, attitude, articulation, and dynamics. All of these were very good, but to make a complete circle, they must smooth out some of the bumpy edges of their hardest pieces. Overall, the bands have improved to a stupendous level of music which will help them as they continue their music career.

The Wonders of Spring

Author’s Note: This poem is practice for Word Choice for Language Arts. It was kind of hard for me to choose a topic that could easily be described or even be described at all. Sure there are many instances that can be described, but I wanted to choose one that would have the most word choice possible.

The excitement of spring
Swirls all around
In every nook and cranny
The air has become warmer
So much more enjoyable
The smell of flowers
Tinges the air
Its sweet scent attracting animals
Birds singing
Their bright and cheerful song
Spread throughout the dome
Of the Earth
But cold snaps me back
Like a rubber band
Back into reality
For it’s still four more weeks
Of bitter cold winter

The Pony Express

Author's Note: This is a historical fiction piece I write for Social Studies. The numbers are the facts I used from the sources I used on which are given credit at the bottom of the page. In Social Studies we needed a minimum of 8 facts in our paper so I just numbered them to make that easier for my teacher. :)

Today is the day that I have been dreading. Sighing, I yanked on my blouse, tying it into place so it’d fit properly. The Pony Express inventor is picking up all the orphans (1) in St. Joseph, Missouri through Sacramento, California (2) today, April 3^rd, 1860 (3) to “voluntarily” deliver mail for the Pony Express. It was made to deliver mail fast. (4) Luckily I had my brother Jonathan alongside me to share the pain.

Someone came knocking on the small one room (5) cottage door. I creaked it open to reveal two men. (6) One of them was shorter and buff, wearing a fancy black coat made from sheep wool. The other was about 7 inches taller and skinny, wearing a leather button up jacket with matching jet black leather boots. Gulping silently, I motioned over to Jonathan to come to the door. He came bringing a small satchel full of our remaining  food and a few keepsakes that go wherever we do.

The two men helped us mount their horses. My horse felt warm beneath my blouse, its pelt shining brightly in the sun. One of the men let out a high pitched whistle and we were off.  Hair the color of nutmeg blurred my vision. Leaves flew all around us and landed softly in its frizzy curly waves. I brushed it out of the way, but more leaves and twigs continued to get caught in it so I gave up. After what seemed like only a few short minutes the horses halted beside a cottage. “Go on,” one of the men bellowed, practically shoving me to the ground off the horse.

I hobbled toward the house carrying the parcel that whoever is living there was sent. This continued on and off for 18 months. (7) That was the longest year and a half of my life. I hardly was able to see Jonathan at all! At least the Pony Express had to come to a halt because the telegraph was invented. (8) Not to mention that they didn’t make any money. (9) But I wouldn’t say it was a complete failure because we carried a total of 34,753 pieces of mail (10), traveled a total of 650,000 miles (11) with about 300 men on horses. (12) Although I will always remember my hair blowing in the wind and the rush I got from the horses.

Works Cited

·         Arago: Pony Express Mail. 28 February 2013. Web Site. 28 February 2013.

·         Pony Express. 28 February 2013. Web Site. 28 February 2013.

·         Pony Express National Trail Back Country Byway. 28 February 2013. Web Site. 28 Febuary 2013.