New look

Had some free time today, so I decided to change up the ol' blog look. I don't think I can ever be satisfied with the limited options in templates that blogger gives you, but I'm too lazy to go hunting for a better one. This will have to do.

The children had their winter concert on Thursday, and overall things went really well. The middle school program is growing rapidly. After the concert, I had about 1/2 dozen 6th graders who quit band before the school year ask me if they could come back. I say hells yeah.

I had a winter concert last night and one more today with the Dakota Valley Symphony. It's nice to play with other adults, and as each concert goes by I begin to appreciate playing with this group more and more. We may not be the most technically accomplished group of people, but for the limited time that we meet we are able to make some pretty good music happen.

Speaking of pretty good music, what was your favorite album of 2007? I went over to 89.3 The Current's site to vote, only to realize that I really didn't buy a whole lot of music this year. I suppose when you're in your first year teaching, paying rent in the big city, buying a car, etc., I really limited my music purchasing. Plus, some purchases were not good (see: Smashing Pumpkins). But, if I had to make a top 5 for the year, it would look like this:

1. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"
2. Spoon - "Ga ga ga ga ga"
3. Ryan Adams - "Easy Tiger"
4. Iron and Wine - "The Shepherd's Dog"
5. Radiohead - "In Rainbows"

Overall, it was a pretty good year for music, but I think I was too caught up in a lot of other stuff and I missed a lot of it. Perhaps folks can share albums that I would be ashamed to have missed.