Making Beautiful Music

This really has nothing to do with the post contents,
except that it's got a guitar in it. Not that anyone played
a guitar last night. It's music, and I don't like posts
with no pictures! And...Jason Manns.

Number Two got to have a really cool experience over the past week.

She was selected to play in the county orchestra at the 2013/14 festival. Ten or so schools from all over the county supplied a couple dozen musicians and a couple dozen singers. They spent about two days rehearsing together, and then put on a concert last night.

It was pretty intense! Sunday from 2:30 until 8:45 they got their music and learned the basics for it and then did auditions for placement. Monday they started at 8:30 and finished about 5:15. Tuesday Number Two had a test and two quizzes, then regular orchestra, then lunch, then bused over to the other school to rehearse until dinnertime. After dinner they changed for the concert at 7.

The music was incredible. The choir sang for about 40 minutes, then the orchestra played for about 45, then they got together and played/sang three more selections together, including Over the Rainbow and the Battle Hymn of the Republic. The orchestra section included a suite from Carmen, and OMG, they sounded so good! It's a huge difference hearing high school kids who really want to do well and work hard to do it, compared to those who just kinda wanna, or are forced to.

I'm really looking forward to the opportunities she'll have over the next four years and beyond.

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To all of my American readers/friends/fans/family, I wish you the very best of Happy Thanksgivings!