Day 29 in 2020

Healthy enough—just barely, and maybe not officially, but the exposure was low—for the Solo & Ensemble preview evening at school.

Day 298 in 2019

Calvin's first marching band experience—the eighth graders joined the high school marching band on the field for half time tonight—an annual tradition for our public school band program on the last home game of the year. This is a big part of my own past. Marching band, or band in general, was a most beloved part of my high school experience, and I continued it on into college, where I found a solid group of accepting people to mesh with before classes even started.

I cannot say enough about the importance of my band experience to me, and that's why I find myself biting my tongue often these days, trying hard not to influence Calvin's decisions. But this was a special moment. Sitting in the stand eating crappy popcorn and stamping my feet to stay warm I couldn't help but give into the nostalgia washing over me. And he loved it—with or without a preconceived notion, I can't say, but regardless, he loved it. And I am so very glad.

Day 219 in 2019

Camp drop off...

Day 152 in 2019

Photo 40/365 {series: Solo and Ensemble, with videos}

Calvin's first ever Solo and Ensemble event was held today. It was a long day for him, appropriate after a long period of preparation. Long mostly for us parents, I suppose, who tried to convince the kid to get down to practicing in earnest back in December, and instead had to listen to his cries of despair ("I'll never get this ready in time!!!") just two weeks ago. Teenage (or preteen?) lessons are rarely learned the easy way I am finding. But he has a lot to be proud of in his no-nonsense work since that moment of panic (and a few mini panics between), because when today was finally here he was, if not in possession of the confidence that long practice brings, at least well prepared.

He played a bassoon solo, a bassoon/clarinet duet, and a piano solo, and he played them all well. His bassoon judge sounded very pleased when she told him that one of her undergraduates was playing the same solo piece for his juries, and she was amazed to hear Calvin play it so very well. Later, his piano judge told him he clearly had "this piano thing down" and that he "must have a very good teacher", to which Calvin and I both inwardly giggled, I think. He came home with three Division I ratings and a newly invigorated dedication to his instruments. 

Bassoon Sonata in F Major, 1st movement - William Hurlstone

Sonatina (Op. 20, No. 1), 1st movement - Friedrich Kuhlau — Calvin's first performance by memory!