The Torch Is Passed

Suzanna will begin fifth grade next week, and that's the year in our school system (as in many others) that interested students begin participating in band. At the end of May, folks from Jacobsen Music came to her school to demonstrate the variety of band instruments so that students might know what their options were when selecting what to play in band. Suzanna already knew her choice. Both Susan and I have kept our own high school band instruments, so Suzanna has grown up seeing and knowing about the flute (Susan) and the trombone (moi). She asked me in May if she could use my trombone to play in band, and I proudly handed it over to the next generation.

Last week and this week, Mr. Dykema, one of the school district's music teachers, offered a band camp for beginners, an optional way for incoming fifth graders to prepare for the upcoming year of band. Suzanna was interested in participating, so we signed her up. Kids playing like instruments were grouped together for 45-minute daily lessons: how to put together their instruments, how to make sounds come out, how to read music for each instrument, how to make specific notes come out, and how to play simple songs. Today for the first time, all the kids gathered as a large group, and the band as a whole rehearsed all the songs. This was followed by a "demonstration concert" for family and friends to hear the fruits of Mr. Dykema and the children's labors.

Can you spot Suzanna in the back of the right third of the photo? Here, let's zoom in . . .

. . . now can you see her?

Proudly displaying the program following the concert.

It's pretty impressive that, after so little time with their instruments, these kids were able to produce anything remotely recognizable as music. Mr. Dykema must be a miracle worker. Susan and I were so impressed with Suzanna when, after just two or three lessons, she was practicing the trombone at home and already playing quite well--strong sounds, notes in tune, rhythmic songs, etc. (I've gotta admit: It does make me a little teary to see our children becoming involved in music--band, piano, choir--the way we were throughout childhood and adolescence. My piano and elementary music teacher, Mrs. Davis, and my high school band director, Mr. Grubb, would be so proud! Ditto my mom! I'm sure they're all watching from Heaven and applauding.)

Last week I took Suzanna to the music store to buy slide oil for the trombone and a collapsible music stand for home practice. While there we saw a cute pin shaped like a trombone, so I bought that for her, too. She wore it on her shirt for today's concert! The ceremonial handing over of the trombone from Daddy to daughter included our having sat down a few weeks ago to go through the case together, throw out old items from my heyday as a trombonist, and remove from the outside of the case my taped-on name, which Suzanna replaced with a sticker bearing her own name. A bittersweet moment, to be sure; but it's great that the ol' trombone is getting a second life with another family member.


Our daughters tell me that, when we were at my sister's recently, she told them that she still has her alto saxophone from her own high school band days. If that's true (is it, Sandy?), and if she's willing to part with it (are you, Sandy?), we could be set when it comes time for Abigail and Hillary to acquire instruments for band: one of them plays Susan's flute and the other Sandy's saxophone. (My sister Cathy is a professional musician part-time, so if she still has her drum set from high school band, she's probably not willing to part with it--and in terms of musical instruments that the girls are likely to be practicing in our house, the eardrums of both Susan and me vote against percussion!)

Small problem: both Abigail and Hillary have called dibs on the saxophone and are resisting my pro-flute encouragement. Another twist: Abigail would like to play the guitar. In addition to the piano (which she plays currently). And the saxophone (which she will be wrestling both Sandy and Hillary for). Oh, well, there are far worse problems to be had, I suppose. It's not as though they're asking for video games or tattoos. Too much music in this household? Impossible.

Here's a little clip from the concert. It features two songs: "Lightly Row" and "DHS" (a song that the pep band might play during an athletic event to rally the fans' support for the home team). Notice how "Lightly Row" derails in the eighth measure when several musicians ignore the music and just forge ahead while the rest are holding their whole notes and observing their rests. Misreading (or not reading) the music isn't the worst offense, either; it's not listening to the rest of the band to hear that they're "off." They redeem themselves, though, with a strong finish.