I grew up loving music! My first love was the piano, and shortly after that I started playing the clarinet in the elementary school band. We were very fortunate to even have an elementary program because we were such a small school, but our Jr. High and elementary schools shared a building which made it pretty easy to share the band teacher too.My oldest sister played the clarinet first and then it was passed to me. When my younger sister came along, Mom bought another clarinet. I was so very grateful when Mom gave both clarinets to me as my kids started getting old enough to play.
Bossy was amazing and she even earned scholarships and became a member of the band council. We didn't establish a specific band rule at first, so the Gym Rat never learned to play an instrument, but the Drama Queen did a great job on the clarinet. Teach also missed out after the band teacher told her she just didn't blow hard enough. But she did become captain of the Color Guard for Marching Band, so that almost counts.
You probably remember that the Dog Walker went to a different elementary school than my other kids so he could be in their cluster program, and they didn't have band at their school. So he started playing the trumpet in 7th grade.
It was at that point that my sweetie and I decided that ALL of our remaining children would learn to play an instrument. Princess plays the clarinet in the high school band, but this will probably be her last year since her interests are taking her a different direction.Prima Donna plays the clarinet in the top band at her middle school, but right now she is more interested in the Bass Clarinet. We rented one from the school and she is hoping to get good enough over the summer that she can play the contra bass in Wind Symphony, the top band at the high school during her sophomore year. She is pretty determined! (I will keep you posted on that.)
Guess what instrument Crafty plays?? The clarinet?? You're right! She is in her last year of elementary band and she is good enough that she will play in the concert band at the middle school next year. Sport just completed his first year on the trumpet, but he loves it! He even practices without me harassing him!
The first pics are from the Monster Concert where they get all the kids together from all the elementary bands in the district (I think there were about a dozen) and they have one big concert. They did an excellent job!The second pic is from their normal combined band which has about 20 people in it. It might not be the Utah Symphony, but everybody has to start somewhere...right?
I love band! Baby girl got here on Thursday (details to come sometime after we leave the hospital) and I already am excited for her to be in band. I played flute and then switched to the oboe in junior High because we didn't have an oboist and we had like 14 flutes. I can't wait to watch baby girl in her first concert in a bajillion years! Chris also played clarinet, but he quit and focused more on tennis after a few years!
ReplyDeleteMy 7 year old is learning the violin which I think is awesome. They also teach the parent that comes as well, so this former saxophone, clarinet, and still flute player is also learning the violin. I can pick at the piano and play a few chords along with a melody line but that's about all. I'd love to have 6 year old learn it, but I need to find a free piano somewhere first.
ReplyDeleteI played the clarinet in Jr. High and loved the experience. I didn't stick with it. I however did take piano and loved it. Our children had the choice to choose an instrument are another area of interest. With the girls; one played the flute, one took singing, and one played the violin. With the boys; one took trumpet, one chose guitar and one took art lessons.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to do it over I think I would have had the girls learn the piano.
I do think children learn so much from being involved in music, art of whatever their interest is.
I think it is awesome that your children are learning an instrument.
Blessings to you all!