Joyful Noise Band is ending soon for the school year. This means several things for us. Ben and Bradford must try out for Advanced Band next year--4 scales from memory, a prepared piece, and sight reading—which means they must practice this summer. I’ve purchased their book for Advanced Band, and Ben has already gone through it and found several songs he likes to play.
Nathaniel will never have to play recorder again after his recital today. He’s had trouble taking seriously an instrument that the twins and Patie carry around the house and play with. He promises he’ll practice the trumpet with more seriousness than he ever mustered for the lowly recorder. He wants to skip beginner band, which means he must be serious about it or be resigned to playing C-2-3-4, rest-2-3-4, C-2-3-4, rest-2-3-4 for the first several weeks of beginner band. Honestly though, I would be fine with him playing in beginner band, because he is young, small, and not as musically inclined as Bradford or as focused as Benjamin.
Grace, on the other hand, is looking forward to playing the recorder and has begun lessons with Bradford. Yeah, the kid who can barely read his own music is teaching little sister to play recorder. When I suggested that he show her the notes on a page, he informed me he was teaching her how to hold it and blow into it. Since Patie knows this, I insisted he have music in front of her and go a bit beyond the basics. Rather than using the music from previous recorder classes or one of a number of recorder books, he, in very typical Bradford fashion, wrote out her music for her to play a B on soprano recorder… as a C… in bass clef. I intervened again, and once she had proper recorder music in front of her she played that B very well.
Another quick story about Grace, who now insists that she will be playing the violin when she is nine. Mark and Grace were listening to the radio, and Mark said, “Grace, do you hear that flute? Isn’t it pretty?” And she responded: “yes, it is pretty, but I’m going to play the violin.” Violin?! Viola maybe, cello definitely, but violin?!
Bradford. Who can begin to describe him? He can play four scales from memory, and probably a lot more than four, but he may or may not be able to tell you which scale he’s playing. He can play a prepared piece with beautiful tone, but although the music may be in front of him he’ll most definitely be playing it from memory. The trouble will be the sight reading, which I hope Mark has time to work with him on this summer.
6 comments:
Hey what's wrong with the violin?
Nothing is wrong with violin, exactly. I was just thinking that my ears had already paid their dues to another young violinist who shall remain nameless. Can I really take the noise yet again?
It's worth the first six months of screeching and scratching. It really is. Go Grace!!!
And if you mean me...I don't mind. ;)
No, Becky. Your parents took all the pain of your first six months, but I heard my sister. Yikes.
Hey now, I was fine after a few months. I had to endure you trying to hit high notes on the flute. Talk about torture.
Now Mark has to endure the attempted high notes. He grimaces, holds his ears, and tells me I'm sharp.
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