The assignment: Go to a music store, pick out a piece of music for the instrument that you play, some piano accompaniment music to go with, practice, and then play in front of the teacher for a grade.
Mr. C goes to the music store and starts thumbing through the music. No, too easy. Nope, not hard enough. No, too easy.
He finally found a piece of music he felt was at his level of playing. Mind you, this child has been playing the clarinet for two years........ two school years which means there are many months in the summer where it isn't played.......
The night of the due assignment. We sat in the hall outside of the band room, along with The Native's piano teacher who was so kind to accompany Mr. C, and listened in on some of the other students solo pieces.
The realization. Mr. C had picked a MUCH harder piece than anyone we'd yet to hear! Is this kid crazy?? He could have chosen a much easier piece, played it to perfection, and gotten an ace grade right?
That's not how Mr. C works. Mr. C chose a very hard piece, played it to perfection, and better get an ace grade (we're still waiting to hear back from his teacher). We all felt he did an ace grade job.
You decide:
Yeah. 2 years is actually being generous. This is high school band we're talking about. :)
ReplyDeleteHe gets an A+++ in my book!
ReplyDeleteThat's the grade I give him too!
DeleteI am looking at the inside of that room and getting very sentimental. The years I spent there - . And solo and ensemble, I'd almost forgotten about it. Mike is such a dear and great friend to support all our children the way he has. And he chose right, back in the day. ;O) G says the clarinet is very difficult to play well because of the quality of the sound it produces - a very pure and unforgiving sine wave as opposed to the more splintered, sawtoothed waves in oboe and sax. He played clarinet when he was in school, and was very complimentary of our young poet, saying that Colin is better than G ever got. He did choose something demanding. Those runs were no joke, and he handled most of them very well. I can remember the feeling of fingers flying over keys, embouchure maintained. Funny - the free form of that romantic piece worked so well with the scarf -
ReplyDeleteWe love Mike. We honestly feel he is a gift from God for our family. He probably feels like it is a trial. :)
Delete:) I thought the scarf fitting as well. I told Mike the piece sounds like it should be in the movie, "Sabrina" or something........
Well, I just have to say, he looks good and he sounds good and he better get a gooder than good grade! And he looks so comfortable...how is that possible?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how it is possible for him to look so comfortable. He is quite at ease playing in front of people. Not me!!! I become a dithering idiot! Become? Hahaha!
DeleteWow. That was pretty cool. GOOD JOB!
ReplyDeleteHandsome cool. :D
DeleteI can't wait for J#4 to start. Colin sounds great! I also like the stuffed aligator above the chalkboard.
ReplyDeletemc
Very cool, A+
ReplyDeleteWe haven't heard back yet from his teacher. I think it is killing me more than him!
DeleteGreat performance! I really like the stuffed aligator above the chalkboard.
ReplyDeletemc
Marci, Funny you should say that. Bet you can guess who was obsessed with it the whole time and wanted to take it home with him!!!
DeleteI played the clarinet in elementary school, but after watching the video, I now know that I NEVER really did play it.
ReplyDeleteImpressive!
I like the alligator too.
If Levi had his way, that alligator would have come home with us...
DeleteThat boy amazes me more and more. Piano, organ, clarinet....what's next?! Whatever it is he'll be great at it.
ReplyDeleteHarmonica. True story.
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