2016-02-01

【Aiden in English】

        In elementary school, the band seemed like a simple game which most of the time got really boring. Middle school, hence the name, took the band to a different level. I actually needed guidance for a piece. Of course, with higher-level means a higher level of performance.

        The North Penn High School’s auditorium is huge. To show off, it even added a balcony. This is the style performances should be like. My old Montgomery ES provided the comfy floor as our seats, and that’s why our butts always hurt after the orchestra shows since they took forever. But the Wind Ensemble Concert of the NP Secondary Schools tonight, the audience won’t be bored of any band after an hour, because the bands would rotate. The Pennbrook Wind Ensemble of my school went first, and the performance was not the best. There were mistakes, but it turned out fairly well. However, the spotlight was not really on the middle schools, considering that the high school band was in the building.

        The high school kind of stole the show. To start, its band just like the auditorium was huge and almost doubled the average middle school wind ensemble. They had talent as well, especially the guy on the mallets. His hands blurred as they went up and down the xylophone, with speed and accuracy. The other percussion players, yes, were impressive, but I’m pretty sure the audience didn’t even realize the entire drum section was there until the xylophone player stopped. This band had the longest time on stage, and the bulk of the time was from a miniature symphony. I really did wonder how one’s hands didn’t fall off from playing that fast during that piece.

        It was really sensational to hear the upper levels. I know that’s the place I’m going down the road, but I am thoroughly intimidated by their performance. No matter whether I make it or not, I’m still positive. The band played a wide variety of tunes, with the speed that was fast and slow, and sounded so loud that the building shook, and also so quiet that I thought my ears fell off. Especially in this kind of room, the sound resonated everywhere, and the ringing after every BOOM of the bass drum echoed for a whole second or two. Even more so were the cymbals, where a clap of sound blasted at the audience. As the watcher, it sounded cool. But musically, it got annoying when trying to muffle the ringing.

        And before I close this post, I want to quickly note that Brandon McManus, the graduate of NPHS then and the Denver Bronco’s kicker now. He is going to play in the Super Bowl this coming Sunday, and I sincerely wish him luck. The NPSD gave all teachers a t-shirt with his number on it to cheer him on. I really hope that Peyton Manning finishes his career strong. I also wish Brandon would kick the game-winning 60-yard field goal to win the game in double-OT. I know it’s bold, but it will be crazy and bring pride to North Penn.

【紅霞譯文】

        小學管樂隊好像跟過家家差不多，吹來吹去吹不出什麼新鮮玩藝。聞其名而知其性，初中與小學之間的水平確實迥然有異，現在我得仰仗高師指點才能吹好整個曲目。毋庸置疑，精湛的演技水平與高端的舞台藝術密不可分。

        北賓州高中禮堂非常氣派，設有上下兩層觀眾席，頂好的演出自然離不開如此宏大的場面。我畢業的蒙哥馬利小學座椅堪比地板一般結實耐磨，而管樂會又沒完沒了，結果每當演出完畢屁股總是痛得要命，但在今晚管樂音樂會上，各支管樂隊輪番登台獻藝，觀眾即使坐上個把鐘頭絲毫不會對任何樂隊的表演生厭。我們賓溪中學首先出場，說起來算不上水平最高的管樂隊，中間幾個地方連續出現失誤，整個演出表現非常一般。其實爭搶鏡頭奪人耳目的並非初中各路人馬，而是出演壓軸戲的東道主高中管樂隊。

        高中管樂隊總算出盡了風頭，且不說該校禮堂幾乎超出普通初中規模兩倍有餘，其陣容強大人才濟濟，彰顯藝術實力，尤其那位手握木槌的傢伙格外突出，在音準到位的基礎上，他來回快速敲擊木琴，不能不叫人看得眼花繚亂，其他打擊樂器手同樣毫不遜色，我敢說在打擊樂結束之前，觀眾根本沒有意識到他們嫻熟的技藝。高中管樂隊表演時間最長，其中更把大部頭精力投注在小型交響樂上，演奏期間，打擊樂手瘋狂擺動並能做到準確無誤，簡直不可思議。

        從禮堂二樓觀賞表演效果絕妙，我清楚早晚有一天自己也會像他們一樣，但免不了還是心有餘悸。好在我一顆紅心兩種準備，無論今後能否入選都會保持樂觀態度。高中管樂隊可以演奏出各種樂曲，速度有快有慢；音量強的地方震天動地，弱的時候恨不能把我耳朵震聾，尤其在現有大廳，由音響產生的共鳴久久迴旋，每當低音鼓一響，餘音都能持續一兩秒鐘之久，此時若有鐃鈸對擊，一下子就會撥動觀眾的心弦。作為觀眾，這種配器效果聽起來不錯，但從音樂的角度來看，打擊樂的引入挺惹人心煩。

        寫到這裡，我想將筆鋒迅速轉到曾為北賓州高中畢業生、現任丹佛野馬職業橄欖球隊踢球手布蘭登•麥克馬納斯身上，他將參加本周末舉行的全美超級盃橄欖球賽，我衷心祝願他福星高照好運當頭。北賓州學區已發給每位老師一件印有他球衣號碼的T恤衫，以求為他加油打氣。我真心希望佩頓•曼寧圓滿結束其職業生涯，同時也祝願布蘭登能在雙加時大腳踢出60碼好成績，射門得分拿下這場比賽。我知道自己心氣旺，不過一旦夢想成真，整個北賓州學區將感到無尚榮光。