Ha...I'm just a very proud teacher right now. I so happy for them. I'm glad that they earned this, experienced it, and enjoyed it. I can't wait to talk to them at their next lesson about what they thought of it.
And of course, it brought up a nostalgic feeling, because 20 years ago I was playing in the All-Northwest Concert Band and experiencing it myself. I remember that was the best time of my life back then...
Oh, and here is a photo of the three of them after the concert, with Isadora on the left and Hannah on the right:
And yes, I remind you that all three of these kids are seniors...and oh, how I'm going to miss them...
But! That's for another post.
ANYWAYS, I had students play in the All-NW Wind Symphony yesterday, as well. The Wind Symphony is a group specifically for kids from smaller schools, and they had a different addition list than the regular band and orchestra auditions. I had 3 students that I work with from Anacortes in this group: Ashlyn and Ethan on horn, and Sean on trumpet. I've known Sean for a long time...in fact, I gave him a few lesson when he was a beginner. He has had a few lessons here and there over the years, but he has been attending the brass camp for several years. I met Ashlyn at the camp this last year, and Ethan at the start of the school year. These kids are cool kids that play their instruments well.
I also had several more kids in the All-State program, which is considered the "junior varsity" groups to the All-NW groups: Jake Bailey played trumpet in the Orchestra, which is huge honor for a 9th grader. My hornist Ethan Brady, trumpeter Oliver Abercrombie, and trombonist Eddy Perera played in the All-State Concert Band. I'm happy for them because they are underclassmen, so they have the opportunity to do this again, including try out for All-NW in 2 years. I wasn't able to attend that concert because it was on Friday, but I heard it was also amazing.
So yeah, I'm a proud music papa. I'm always proud of them. I'm proud of them showing up each week ready for more. I'm proud of them taking on the challenges that are given to them. I'm proud that they are willing to take advantage of opportunities. I'm proud of them for just continuing to play, and care enough to do it at a high level...something that they and their parents can be proud of.
In other news, I get to play with the Yakima Symphony again next weekend. We're playing a program based on West Side Story and its resemblance to and inspiration from Romeo & Juliet. That means not only will be play some of Bernstein's music for it, but also Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture, and a soundtrack music from Shakespeare in Love, which I haven't heard before. I'm very excited to play this program. I always love playing Tchaikovsky, no matter what anyone says. And the West Side Story music is really challenging technically. So it's taking some work, but I'm having a lot of fun working on it.
I haven't written anything original in 4 years, so I think it's time to start again. I want to write something to enter in the Marine Band's composition contest, and I also want to write a piece for brass ensemble for my camp this summer. It's hard because I don't get enough solitude to sit and think about it...heh, I wish I had the luxury that Mahler did, when he just escaped to a house in the country in the summer away from everyone and everything and just wrote music.
So, anyways...I need to figure out how to do that. I feel like I can make something really good right now.
Take care and value music.