NCB COVID Chronicles, Part 8: Member Reflections — Annie Grapentine
This week, we check in with NCB trumpet Annie Grapentine to hear about her experience rehearsing in our “new normal.” Annie joined the band in 2019, but her first performance with the band was actually much earlier. As a seventh grader, she participated in our Lifetime of Music concert at the recommendation of her private instructor.
How did your musical routine change when the pandemic hit? Did you continue to practice regularly, or did your trumpet fall to the wayside?
The word “routine” flew out of my vocabulary when the pandemic hit, so I’ll let you infer what happened to my musical routine… When we received word that NCB would resume in August, I excavated my trumpet, blew off its dusty sins, and got to work.
Have you tested any trumpet personal protective equipment (PPE)? If so, tell us what you tried out and how it went!
The puppy pads are a perfect example of something I hope outlasts the pandemic and can’t believe wasn’t common practice before (leave it to an airborne virus to illuminate how icky we all are!). However, the same cannot be said for the musician masks with their funky vertical flap - it’s like a weird pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.
Were you nervous to attend rehearsals given the current world climate?
I was definitely nervous before the first rehearsal at The Grove. Despite knowing what precautions were being taken and all the strict procedural bits, it was still a little nerve-wracking to be around so many people and have images of flying aerosols in my mind.
What was the most exciting part of rehearsing at The Grove?
The moment that has stuck with me is from our first rehearsing when we were playing Shenandoah. About halfway through, the flutes take over the melody in this devastatingly gorgeous 3-part canon. Dr. Thompson stopped us and remarked, fairly emotionally, at how beautiful it was but how strange everything is. It was maybe 5 seconds of the rehearsal, but it felt so poignant to me.
Is it liberating being able to play much louder, being outdoors?
I am not a fan of standing while playing, so I was fussy about it! But I think more so, it was daunting to play with fewer people and, thus, less of a machine sound to blend into.
How do you feel being back making music in-person?
It is a balm! A salve for world-weary souls. Making music in-person perfectly blends the individual and community responsibility I suspect is on a lot of our minds these days in regards to the pandemic. When you show up for yourself and those around you, the result is powerful.
What excites you the most about our rehearsals at The Grove and Park Center?
I was most excited to have a weekly touchpoint because time is such an illusion these days. I also became more and more excited to work with the grad students! It was fascinating to watch them progress and rewarding to be able to be their ensemble. As we move to Park Center, I’m excited to not be outside! Those last rehearsals at The Grove were chilly and flat.
Which pieces of music from your assigned groups are you most excited to play?
At The Grove, I was most excited for Eternal Father, Strong to Save. Brass heavy, and holy cow is that horn Navy hymn feature just sumptuous! For our indoor cycle, I’m chomping at the bit to play the all-brass arrangement of Lincolnshire Posy and the Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare.