There’s something about this band that I can’t quite put my finger on. From the moment we 1st pressed those instruments to our lips we became a band, and some ways a family. That 1st breath we took together would be the begin of the end. Little did we know it would come so soon. Perhaps we took the past 4 years for granted. We let time slip through our fingers, but still managed to live in the moments. Now it’s too late for us to go back, so we must say goodbye. Let’s not forget the laughs, the achievements, the music we created leave our memories. It was at a simpler time, a simpler place. When time didn’t fly by in a blink of an eye.


Mr. Mark was really the only one that knew how fast time would fly. He told us to make the moments count and the memories as big as we could. We all laughed at him when we heard that. We thought that we had all the time in the world. But it turns out we didn’t. Time flies by when your having fun. And though some days were worse than others time flew by. Did we let it, or was it just something that was something we couldn’t stop? What ever it was it happened and it came sooner than we expected. The day of our first concert came, and when our time came we blew the socks off of that crowd from the first note to the very last note we played. Yet as nervous we were we had smiles across our faces. But nothing as big as Mr. Mark’s. That twinkle seemed to shine in his eyes every time we made music together. It was just another moment in time when we became one band and had one sound. It didn’t matter who we were, what mattered was that we all had one purpose in mind. That purpose was to make music. As long as we did that we would be fine. Not only did we grow as a band, but as musicians, as young kids into young adults we grew together. All in that short amount of time.


So years passed and still time had flown by with no intentions to pause for even a fraction of a second. But like the years before we still managed to live in the moments, to make our dreams bigger and better than before. We had set high expectations for the concerts to come and when the time came to play we surpassed that. All in a matter of seconds we had set a new goal for the following concerts. And the cool thing was that we had done it together as, one band, one sound. And those nights at the concerts Mr. Mark had that twinkle in his eye. We had done what we were supposed to and for that we were happy and grateful.

But those years are gone and over with. It is time to say goodbye and move onto better things. In order for us to do that though, we must leave one extremely vital person behind. We will all move on and go onto High school band, but what about Mr. Mark? Will he always remember the times he had with us? The laughs, the downfalls, the thrill to be the best? Will he remember the music we made together? I know that all of us will never forget the times we had as a middle and Jr. High school band. We can’t and we shouldn’t let those memories go. Whether it was painting that picture of the Amercain flag waving, or taking you back to the old times, or even the intensity that we brought to you, we did it together as one band, one sound. And for that I’m grateful. And when it is said and done will you as the audience remember the night the Tri-Valley Jr.High band played for the final time? And will you remember that we gave it our all on that night as we always did. We play for pride and to be known as one of the best bands around. All we’ve ever wanted to do was play music and look at what we have done along with it.


But do not fear because we will be back again in no time. Playing those inspiring pieces you want to hear. But not as a Jr. High band, now as a High school band. We will be even better this time getting to feel what it’s like to play as a big band. And that’s not even half of it there will be a whole new element adding on to next year. But we will never forget the man that pushed us to be the best we could, to have a drive and determination. To have confidence in ourselves along with our music. The man that took a bunch of 5th graders and turned them into musicians is the man you see standing before you. He could have given up on us but he didn’t. He pushed us until we had no more to offer him. He and he alone knows us best and what we are capable of when it comes to music. He told us to make every instant matter. The people we are to day is because of Mr. Mark. He is the one that believed in us from the first moment, to the last note played tonight. And for that we are all grateful for and never forget the man that changed our lives.Time is something that can’t be measured in one moment or one saying that defines us. Because what defines you is something that will be everlasting and changing. Because not knowing is what the future is all about. But the Jr. High school band will define us right now, right here, at this moment, and then the rest is history.


Who knows what is to come for us, but I can tell you that you will see us in the High school band next year. And next year will be better than anything. We are all excited and pumped for next year. That is when we will put everything Mr. Mark has taught as into full blown action. And we will become part of the Tri-Valley band and hopefully remain that way for years to come. I look back on the years and wonder where has time gone. What was four years has felt like 2 years. And that is something that can’t be avoided. We don’t know how good we have it until it is gone. And in this case I would give anything to be back in the band. Just one more day, one more moment, one more concert. I would give anything to be part of that, and I know you others would too. But as hard as it is we will move and have to say goodbye to everything we have worked on all building up to this last concert.


So say goodbye with me and hold onto the memories of the band. Don’t forget everything we have worked on. Don’t forget Mr. Mark the man that taught us everything we know now. Because I won’t and I know that you won’t either. It’s not that simple and should not be that easy for us. But moving on is what makes us grow up and in order to make it in the world we must move forward and leave a band member behind. Because years fly by when you’re having fun. Because we became one family and one band in an amount of 4 years. So let’s make this moment count, this last concert, this last time we’ll play together as the one and only Tri-Valley Jr. High band! Let’s be able to say that what we did was the best concert of all time. Let’s walk out with our heads held high, smiles on our faces and pride in our hearts. As we leave that stage for the last time as one band. Along with the man that taught us how to be: musicians, and outstanding fine young adults. We leave you for the last time as the Jr. High band.