Marching Band Debut

Mags was very excited about her first official marching band experience.  They marched in the Homecoming parade.  Not too bad for 8th graders and their first time marching.  After they marched around the block, she put her instrument away and jumped on the cross country float.  Max walked with the tae kwon do folks and broke some boards.

I was merely paparazzi.

Ya'll will like this one...

From M3's band concert in March!  She has had a good year on the saxophone: she was the only 6th grader rated "outstanding" at a solo competition, and she was one of four selected for the Coe College Honor Band.  She's there today, actually, and we'll go see the concert later.  She'll get to meet other band kids from all over the state!

All about music...

It's definitely been a musical spring, what with all the concerts happening! M3 had her "all-city" band concert on Tuesday. Really, it should be called "all-school." All the band students from 5th grade through high school were together. Each played a few of their own pieces, then they all played together for the last piece. It was neat, because the younger kids (well, at least M3) were really excited to hear the high school and witness their possible future in band. Actually, it was nice for me to hear, too. It truly is impressive how much the 5th graders have learned in this one short year and exciting to hear the HSers, who sounded great! I do feel lucky to have a good music program in our schools.

I love this picture with all the brass:
Half the gym; half the band students:

In sadder music news, M and M's music (violin and piano) teacher is going to stop teaching. She's getting too busy with two high schoolers. So now we must scramble to find new teachers, and certainly there is no way we will find one who lives a block away like Sarah does. Hopefully, we will find teachers who have her patient and kind personality!

Band and Choir Concert

M3's first band concert!!! You're going to have to watch for her...she pops up with the sax section. I kind of focused in on her general area. This piece is called "Popcorn Prelude." Keep in mind....these kids have only had their instruments for a bit over three months, and they have band every other day with private lessons once every six days!


Did you see her??! I have a choir video where you can see M3 much better. (It takes hours to upload these videos, so I'll get it up here soonish.)

Big news!

M3 found out she will be learning the saxophone for school band, which is what she had wanted to play. They had to do some musical testing first, then they were recommended a few instruments. THEN they had to choose their top three. I guess there were ten kids who wanted to play for only five saxophone spots, so she is very excited! Look out, Lisa Simpson!