The Dreaming Tree

GPOY Children’s Concert Edition

A few days ago was our 2nd Annual Community Band Children’s Concert.  Children are basically the funniest people in the world.  Here are a few highlights:

The band finished playing “Selections from The Lion King”, and one of our band director’s granddaughters asked worriedly, “Is it over?”.  Grandma said yes.  ”But I wasn’t listening!” she protested.

This same granddaughter came on stage to try instruments after the concert.  She walked up to the 1st trombone player and said, “Grandpa, can I try your trumpet?”  Grandma said, “Honey, that’s not your grandpa,” and to me she said, “Anyone with white hair is ‘Grandpa’.”

I helped a couple little girls try the flute.  It’s tough to know how to direct your air when you’re only 7 years old.  One of the girls looked at me and said, “Your earrings are goofy!”  I asked if she liked them, and she said no.

My mom was at the concert because she still comes to all my concerts, and she brought me a gift from her recent trip to Ashland.  It’s a bass clarinet ornament!  These exist, apparently, only in Ashland, because I’ve never seen any tchotchkes that are bass clarinets.  Also, it’s pretty anatomically correct.  And it’s my first ornament now that I’m a grown-up and will have my own Christmas tree.  My bass clarinet student was in the band, and close by as my mom gave me this gift.  She reached into a pocket of her music bag and pulled out the same ornament, also from Ashland.

After taking the first picture in this post, Photo Booth lagged for a second, and when my face appeared back on screen I realized I was smoking the bass clarinet like a pipe, which made me feel like Sherlock Holmes, so I had to get a picture of that too.