bad (but victorious) Pinto

I really need to start going to school. *blush*! Since last week, I've missed Friday on. I went to half of A block on Monday, and nothing after that. Friday, and Monday I had a good excuse, I was moving. Tuesday was me being horridly lazy. Wednesday, I also have a good excuse for, I was at the Folk Song Festival, which is quite the tale! Today, I came to school, but I kept missing the bus (which only runs every hour), and so ended up missing C block; AGAINST MY WILL, I swear! And the worst part is, I ended up in a fight with Mom again this morning (she was driving Sherayna, who know owns a car I might add, to a place that is right around the corner from my school, and she still wouldn't drive me), and forgot to get her to write me a note. So now I'm in super trouble, especially in Bio, where I missed a big fat test, pl;us I have no note, for what was almost entirely excuseable absences.

Anyways, on to the fun stuff! The Folk Song Festival was interesting...! Pretty much none of us went to any school today even though we sang in the pm. I met Laura and Brianna right when they were arriving, and we walked up to the theatre for registration. Nobody was there, so we investigated the new building that the seniors were singing in. Then we came back to the theatre, and registered. There was a small bit of interest there, as Barbara weas marked down as non-vocal training, even though she entered the vocal training category. So she mentioned that to the registrar, and she said she'd pass the message along. So that was taken care of. (...) So we headed up to the coy pond to practice. That's our tradition; it is so calming, and relaxing there that it totally boosts your confidence. Plus people are always wandering by, and being impressed by the singing, which is an ego boost for sure!

Anyways soon after, we went back to the theatre (AGAIN) for the opening ceremonies, which were--meh. Except for the adjudicators forming a choir and singing Shanendoa (sp?), which was super great. I was a little confused though, because I kind of thought they went off time a couple times, which is crazy cause of all of them are super-trained, and super-awesome. But it's possible if you're not used to singing choral.

After the opening ceremonies, we all went to our rooms. Our section started with the senior groups, of which there were two. Of course both of them won in the end, but I have to say, the group who won second--the ones with the angel costumes-- they SUCKED! They forgot their words, they forgot their harmony, they were truly awful! They should not have won! The adjudicators are supposed to place awards only if they deserve it, and this group (in my opinion) didn't deserve it. The other group were these two girls from Dover with trained American-Idol-voices, but in spite of that, I actually really enjoyed their song. They sang Eliza Jane, and had some really super good harmonies. It was almost jazzy in a way, and I was happy they won first.

The solos were long and boring, because the only people I cared about hearing (excepting Mel, who went near the beginning) were all in the middle to the end. There were some really good ones that surprisingly didn't place, like Monkey's, and Megan Bayliss'. I do know why she didn't place though: she seemed to be nervous, and her voice was shaky because of that. It also made a few of her notes creaky, instead of pure. Her song was really great though. Mel's went really well, I don't remember anything bad about it. I feel bad about Nicole's performance; she missed the interval from the verse to the chorus of Green Sleeves and it threw her off badly. Her presentation was really great, though. Laura's was awesome. She blushed during her introduction, I'm assuming because it was so cheesy, and Mel and I giggled. Brianna's also went good, and I actually heard the English this time. With me, everytime I hear a song in a language I don't understand, I tend to just tune out the words and listen to the melody as if it's an intstrumental. It's just one of those weird things I do. But this time I actually caught the English, which was good. Barbara's was so great, I couldn't stop grinning throughout it! It was about gypsies, and whatnot, and made me dance in my seat. Her voice cracked once, but she recovered well. Unfortunately, during Monkey's I had to pee incredibly badly, so I ran to the bathroom. I heard most of his song from behind the doors, and it was good. Right after I got back, it was mine, and I suppose it went well. I kind of blanked it out, cause I was so nervous. I'm really weird that way; I never get nervous when singing with a choir, I don't get nervous when I'm singing with the girls, I don't get nervous when I'm singing a solo. But if I'm auditioning, or if I'm singing completely all by myself, I get paralytically nervous. I was so nervous about doing a solo, that I didn't even decide to actually attend the Festival until ten-thirty that morning! Besides which, I'd only practiced it that morning, and the day before! But I went up there, and I suppose it went okay. I remember wishing the high notes had been better, but other than that, I didn't really make any mistakes. According to my Mom my phrasing and depth were super good. But she's biased. Sasja's was super awesome!!! She picked the absolute perfect song, and she carried it off incredibly well. I swear she was the only performer there with any kind of stage presence, and hers was the only performance that actually entertained anyone. She was really great. Other performances of note were Crystal Cashmore's and Samantha Dubinski's. Yes Crystal has Marion Smith's 'tude, but I have to admit, hearing a classically trained voice was really nice. And Samantha I've always liked. Her voice is really low, and almost skritchy, but in this really good way. I love listening to her, and I'm actually really surprised she didn't place.

So then after our section was done, I called Sean a couple times, then headed back to the theatre to watch a million and one crappy little intermediates and the family groups which were TOTALLY FANTASTIC! Mel and her dad went first and I was so impressed! It was so super good. There were only a couple parts where I felt their harmonies could have been tighter, and their voices didn't blend as well as you'd think, them being family. But that's because they had different ways of pronouncing their vowels. Her dad's vowels were much wider than Mel's. They sang Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies, and it was just great. Niki and Sasja went up then, and again were super super great. For some reason, I can't remember if they sang She's Like the Swallow, or Shandendoa (somebody correct me!), but they were great! Their harmonies were really tight, and their unison was the most fabulous thing I've ever heard! Their blend was incredible! It was like they were one person; I was so impressed. Laura and her dad went up, and didn't do as well as expected. He forgot the words, and she hated the song. You should have seen the look she gave him when she gave him the note! It was like, "You have the note right, cause you don't have the note, I'll never speak to you again for the humiliation." Me and Barbara cuckled (...I meant chuckled but laughed too hard to change it). Then of course there was Jacqueline Jensen and her dad Jack, who are the most irritating people on the planet, for one simple reason. They sang the same annoying song, with the same annoying harmonies that they did last year. And they were arrogant about it, and dropped names ON STAGE. They were all like, "Oh, Jane Aspen asked us if we could whip something up for this" as if they were invited, and not just another entry. I suppose my irritation with them is a bit irrational, but please. If you're going to have some pretention to musical ability, at least learn a different song! If you're going to saturate an event with your person, at least make it interesting!

...bah

Anyways, on to the IMPORTANT part of the story; the awards ceremony! All the little kids won, and scampered across the stage, and Barbara thought it was cute, and it was all very nice and boring. The senior groups predictably won their predicted places (ooh, alliteration!) and I hate the group that won second, and I refuse to change my mind. Then came the debacle. For Senior Solo without vocal training, Brianna won third, Mel won second, and Barbara won first. The problem is, Barbara has vocal training! So poor Barbara had to go up their and try to refuse the first place trophy (which must have SUPER-sucked). They gave it to her anyways and said they'd sort it out later, which I personally think was dumb of them. They should have stopped and figured it out. Anyways, for the time being, it was Barbara in first, Mel in second, and Brianna in third. No me. Bummer. Then in vocal training, Gator won third (crazy!), Crystal Cashmore won second (crazy!) and Sasja won first! (CRAZY!!!). Sasja totally deserved first, she was great. I'm still slightly blown away by Crystal, and Laura's placings though.

After the ceremony was ever, we all waited for Barbara as she talked with Mr. Roszmann. Finally she came back,a dn she was crying, and I felt horrible for her. She said they were going to get the scoresheets to figure it out. Finally it turned out, that because Barbara got the exact same score as Crystal, and it turned out she was in vocal training, they tied for second! That meant that the winners in non-vocal training all got bumped up a place. That meant that Mel was in First, Brianna won second, and the person with the next highest score won third, which was--

ME!

When Doug finally said my name, Cindy (Brianna's Mom) just grabbed my shoulders and started shaking them, and everybody started shrieking! It was a really great feeling! I truly do wish the whole debacle had never happened though. All the stress poor Barb went through, and I have to admit it sucks to not have your name called up in front of everybody. Plus it would have been so much better for Brianna, and especially Mel to have been called for their actual placings! Hearing your name called for first, and having everyone applaud is ten times better than what actually happened. But at least it all got sorted out.

So that was my last Folk Song Festival. I'm kind of glad that there will never be another one. In the years I've been in it, I've won each place, and the manner in which I won them really shows me my place in life as far as performing goes. I don't think I'll audition for CCPA this Friday.

Anyways, I'm out! hope you like my renewed posting habits!