Ca - ma - ra - de - rie

One year ago, Annie was in her last semester of high school at the start of her last season of track.  She joined the track team sophomore year and instantly fell in love.  She loved the team atmosphere of track.

Track was the one sport where the focus was on individual improvement. Each runner would try to get a PR (personal record).  While a few were just naturally talented runners,  most had to train hard to reach their goals.  At track meets, the point was not to win your event, but rather to better your own time for that event.  Yet each runner's performance contributes to the success of the team.

Coach Flamino set the tone for the team.  During practices, he worked with the runners to fine-tune their technique, set goals, and prepare them mentally and physically for upcoming meets.  At the meets, his job was merely to be there for moral support and cheer the runners on.

The coach also set the expectations for the teams.  He stressed the importance of the runners to support all team members.  When your race is done,  it was expected that you cheer on other members in their events.

They would celebrate each other's PRs and cheer on even the last stragglers of each event, no matter what school they were running for.

Whether before...

or after a meet...

spirit ran high and the emphasis was on "team".

One year later, Annie is no longer running track, but she undoubtedly is part of a strong "team".

Last weekend, Vance and I had the pleasure of attending two performances at the Eastman School of Music.  The first was a  fabulous recital by her saxophone quartet, named Astutia.  The second was an amazing concert by the entire saxophone studio, named ESP (Eastman Saxophone Project).

Musical performance is very similar to running an event in track.  Each musician strives to improve their skills individually.  They spend many hours alone in practice rooms as they strive to better their skills and meet their individual goals.  But, in the end, all of their individual effort contributes to the success of the entire saxophone studio.

In the saxophone studio, their "coach" is Professor Chien-Kwan Lin.  He works with the students individually and as a group, helping the students set and meet their goals, and setting the tone for a real "team" atmosphere.  All of his saxophone students are expected to support each other and cheer each other on by attending all performances of their "teammates".  Chien-Kwan does the same, and is always there for congratulations and a hug for each of his students after a recital or concert. 

The result is truly an atmosphere of camaraderie.

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ca·ma·ra·de·rie

ˌkäm(ə)ˈrädərē,

noun

1. mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together.

"a genuine camaraderie on the hockey team"

synonyms:  friendship, comradeship, fellowship, companionship,

fraternity, conviviality, mutual support, team spirit,

esprit de corps; informal bromance

   

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It makes me happy (and relieved in a way) to know that Annie is in a place where she can grow as a musician and as a person with people who will help her through the rough spots and celebrate her accomplishments - and that she will be able to do the same for her fellow                                       "teammates".

Here are some more pictures from this weekend!

And one last picture.

  

Since I'm comparing track to music,  I have to show you a comparison of "the face" that Annie makes for the camera, one taken during track and one taken after her quartet recital.

The music face is a bit more elegant, but it's still the same Annie!