Just a Little More Bragging

I bragged about Peter's music a couple of weeks ago, so now I need to give John and Catherine their due.

Both of them were selected to play in this year's All-State Band concert, which took place last weekend.

John was first chair in oboe for the All-State Symphonic Band. (OK, he was the only oboe -- but even that's impressive, because it shows how hard an instrument it is. Three hundred kids in the state program, and he's the only one who plays oboe.)

Here's the Symphonic Band playing "The Dream Catcher," a funky, percussion-heavy piece (including the kids tapping their pencils on their music stands), written especially for middle school bands. John's hard to see -- he's in the second row from the front, on the left hand side, to the left of the flutes, but his music stand is mostly covering his face. But you can see him at the end, anyway, behind the conductor as he bows.



Catherine was selected to play in the All-State Concert Band. She's a little easier to see than John was, since she was the only girl in the trumpet section (again -- very impressive). This piece, a medley called "Processional Hymns of Faith," begins with the trumpet section standing and playing, so you can get a good look at her. (She's the short one.)



We thought they all sounded great. As always, we're very proud of our kids. And I'm especially impressed -- being a  fourth-rate guitarist myself, I know how hard it is to perform as well as they do. If they were nervous, you'd never know it.

We always said we wanted a house full of music, and our kids are giving it to us, which makes us very happy indeed.