Melyssa participated in her first full band concert this evening at Hannah Beardsley. Attending this concert were the elementary schools Canterbury (ours), Coventry and Hussmann. A surprising 120 kids were there to play their hearts out for the first time in front of an audience. Heady stuff!
The chairs and music stands were all set up on the gym floor (I gave a sigh of relief...there wouldn't be stage lights to mess up any media I planned on using to capture the moment), and the little musicians trooped in by sections - their black pants and white shirts making a statement of uniformity. The band teachers/conductors for the evening were light hearted and praising with some raised eyebrows that had more than a few of us in the audience thinking - "Uh-Oh. this concert is going to be LONG!!"
Melyssa's teacher; Mr. Bell, had the first honor of conducting, and as he stepped up onto the block, each and every student raised their instruments to the ready. I was completely impressed by this, even as he raised his arms and every musician popped their instruments into their mouth to play (OK, not percussion, but you get the point). Wow. All of the songs on the list accomplished AND unified obedience? Ooooo...these band teachers are GOOD!
Camera at the ready, camcorder primed to record: Mr. Bell waved out the rhythm and the students struck their first note, and a hush falls over the room. Forget the camera, forget the camcorder - the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up.
NOT ONE honk, NOT ONE "jump start", NO ONE out of tune. Just one sustained note that brought tears to my eyes. "Mix 'em up" is only a three note starter song - but what a statement it made. These kids have band ONE day a week for 45 minutes. The rest of their practice time is done at home. Prior to today, none of these schools had played together, and it is RARE that the kids play together as a full band at their own schools. To unify for music, and to do so in such a wonderfully talented way was remarkable. All of the songs that they played was a testament to the patience of the kids, their families and their teachers - these kids are all beginning band students. Talent abounded within this half hour concert...
We are proud of the blond one. She did great, blending her instrument with the others there to play. There were six girls out of sixteen saxophone players - and each section got a solo in the French folksong "Au Claire de la Lune". It was terrific. Now I am envisioning her on the field at half time for our high school band, playing concert after concert and living her dream of being a musician. How wonderful for her to find her niche! Great Job Melyssa!! We are proud of you!
Song selection for the evening:
Mix 'em Up
Three Note Samba
Hot Cross Buns
Jingle Bells
Good King Wenceslas
Dreydl, Dreydl
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Shoo Fly
On the Bridge at Avignon
Bile Them Cabbage Down
Lightly Row
London Bridge
Stodola Pumpa
Frere Jaques
Camptown Races
Bugler's Dream (full page song)
Big Beat Boogie (full page song)
2 comments:
Congrats Melyssa!! I bet you were so proud Em. That's a lot of work for a ten year old. I think today's ten year olds have more determination than when I was ten.
Can't wait for video. Way to go Melyssa. Keep up the awesome work.
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