Unexpected praise

M&M has been playing the bassoon now for a little over a year and she loves it!  She has been self taught with some tips found on the internet and a few pointers from one of her orchestra teachers.  Other than that she has learned everything on her own.  When she first brought the bassoon home her band teacher had shown her how to put it together before she left school and I had bought a few reeds to try from a local music store.  We printed off a couple of fingering charts from the internet and then she has practiced and figured things out on her own.

The other day the band director from one of the local high schools stopped by her band class to drop off some marching band registration forms.  He came in while the band was in the middle of practicing a song and when M&M turned around to see who it was, he was standing right behind her.  In front of the whole class he told her that she sounded really good and had good tone and her tonguing was really crisp and clear too.  M&M's band teacher then said to M&M, "Tell him how long you've been playing."  M&M said that she had been playing just a little over a year and the high school director was amazed.  He then asked her where she would be going to high school (her school feeds into at least 3 different schools).  She said that she would be going to the high school where he teaches and he pumped his fist in the air and said, "YES!"    M&M was quite embarrassed by the whole scene because it took place with the whole band class watching her!

M&M's last band concert she had a solo part and we could actually hear her playing from the audience.  It was quite exciting and she did really good on it.  We had several neighbors in the audience who afterwards came up to us and complimented her on her performance.  (I will try and get a video clip of the solo up on YouTube for those that are interested.)  The bassoon is not a common instrument and it is typically not a solo instrument.  It is one that blends in well with the rest of the band/orchestra, supporting the melody parts and is hard to hear most of the time.  This last concert though I could hear her on several parts other than her solo as well.  We're pretty pleased with how well she is doing and hope that she will continue to enjoy music.

Since she will be going into 9th grade next year she is allowed to participate in the high school marching band, even though she will still be at the middle school.  She has attended a 2 day clinic on marching band and just last week we went to an info meeting to find out more about the costs and the time involvement.  I think she has decided that she wants to do it and it should be a good experience for her and a chance to meet and interact with a lot more people her age and with similar interests.  And no, she will not be marching with the bassoon!  She has kept up her playing on the flute a little bit and will either be marching with the flute or the piccolo.  Right now there are no piccolos in the marching band so she is a little hesitant to be the only one!  The downside to the marching band is that she would not be able to play soccer in the fall and she also will not be able to play in the after school area orchestra that she is in this year.  (Although she's not too bummed about the orchestra because she was trying to talk us out of having her do it next year anyways.  She thinks the music is too boring and she unfortunately hasn't enjoyed it a ton.  Maybe the group at the high school level will be more exciting for her to play with.)