Ricky's Band Concert

Last Thursday evening was my son's first band concert. Well, I guess not exactly the first, as they did play two songs during the Christmas program, but that lasted literally three minutes, so I don't really count it. Plus, as a beginning band having only played for three months before Christmas, they were pretty bad.

Don't get me wrong--they certainly tried very hard and did their best, but they were at the stage where they were still learning fingerings for the notes and had not yet developed an "ear" to hear how the notes were actually supposed to sound!

This past Thursday they were much improved. They're still beginners, in the fourth and fifth grades, but you could tell they were developing confidence in their abilities. I wouldn't say they were yet good, but they were certainly better!

I could pick Ricky's playing out of the group. Not hard, since his entire band consists of 3 flutes, 1 clarinet, and 3 trombones. (Ricky plays the trombone. Which was MY trombone back in the day. And the same horn which was my FATHER'S back in HIS day! Third generation. Way cool!) Anyway, I could hear Ricky specifically. He did very well. I didn't see a single mistake. Having played the trombone myself, I know where the slide is supposed to be positioned for each note. And I know what the notes are supposed to sound like. (On occasion while listening to him practice, I would get on him about "don't just aim for the general vicinity of the slide position and blat, hoping it'll be close enough.") He hit the notes (the same could not always be said for his fellow trombonists--ouch!), his tone was good--I was very proud!

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