Monday
The first day of December had come upon us and what a day! We started it with
a good phys session in the gym. After a good run around we fell in at 0900 with
red faces, everyone feeling better as they had just sweated out the weekend's
excesses!
It was also the first day of another week of auditions. There were only 8 due
to arrive this afternoon. The rest of us all went to our cells to practise.
In the afternoon we started with vocal and jazz ensemble recitals. It was nice
to experience a different atmosphere. After this it was back to practising as
this was not just the first week in December but it was exam week so students
were a bit tense and apprehensive, me being one of them.
Tuesday
We started today with rounds as normal, then over to the School of Music to start practising hard. The exams started nice and early and took up the whole day. The auditionees had their first official day, they were all quiet and wondering what was going to happen!
My exam was last thing today so I had the whole day today to prepare. Once it was all over, we went back to the accommodation to eat and get ready for evening rehearsal. We were practising for our Christmas gig next week. The Bandmasters Course have arranged Carols as part of their course and are due to be taking orchestra tonight, to rehearse for the first half of the gig. It was quite a long day!
Wednesday
Today we started with Parade Band. For the last month we have been rehearsing our display for next week's New Entry Passout. It seemed to be going ok, not many people got out of step and we managed to remember most of the movements. We rehearsed in the gym which is where the Passout is going to take place which is quite good for us as it's warmer than outside. We then went back to work for our usual half day.
In the afternoon we went bowling for RT, down at Gunwharf Quays which was a nice change and a great laugh.
Thursday
We started again with phys this morning, going down to the track to run the BFT as some of us were ill when we did it earlier in the term. We all managed to pass so it was a good start to the day. We then returned to work to practise hard once again. After stand-easy we had Big Band with Don Lusher practising for our pieces for next week's concert and the visit by FOTR on Monday. We then had choir at lunch time with Jayne, our singing teacher. The students who had done their exams earlier in the week were getting their results at 1300, a bit of a nervous time.
We then ended the day with another orchestral rehearsal, this time with Major Best to practise the couple of pieces he's conducting next week in the concert.
All in all an eventful day!
Friday
We had another rehearsal for next week's Passout in the gym and managed to sort it all out. It all looked good.
We then returned to the School and some of the senior buglers had an M3 Aural
exam. This counts towards part of their final exam mark before passing out to
a Band this Christmas. We then had to set up the concert hall for FOTR's Christmas
reception on Monday before running through a couple of the pieces. All of the
auditionees returned home after a hard week and we were all ready for a rest
to prepare for the busy week we had ahead of us next week.