Sixth Grade Band Rocks House, Details to Follow
My younger son started playing the trombone this year.
His school does this awesome thing where they set up all the different instruments in the common area during an informational meeting close to the beginning of the school year. Kids walk around blowing their germs into various mouthpieces, then decide if they really want to go into band and then think about what they want to play.
Brett deposited his germs quite faithfully on a multitude of mouthpieces and as one of the tiniest kids in his class, he ended up turning me that day and saying,
“I want to play the trombone.”
“Um, schwaaaaa?”
“Trombone.”
“How about this nice little clarinet?”
“Trombone.”
“A trumpet?”
“Trombone.”
“I see.”
To the band director: “Is he too small?”
BD: Sticks a trombone in his hands. He can barely do the furthest pull. “Nope, he’s a fine fit.”
(To Brett) “Watch this. See how all the other instruments just sit there quietly as they play, watch the trombone! The slide shines and BOOM BOOM BOOMS back and forth during a concert! It’s a showman’s piece.”
“Mom, TROMBONE!”
“Trombone it is.
So, he started playing his new, expensive hunk of personal treasure and with the very good fortune of a competent, tough, but super fun teacher, he’s loved it. Each instrument is in its own class, meaning the throughout the entire year, Brett has only played with other trombones.
His teacher believes that this early concentration on their own instruments is key to future success. She figures that muddling it up under and over other instruments takes away some focus when they should really be learning what THEY can do first. So none of these band members have been playing together, not until the few rehearsals before the concert.
Brett was quite surprised to learn the trombones had some solo parts, and also quite pleased, and not scared to “really go for it” as his teacher had instructed. He was also a bit surprised that hey, the songs sound REALLY different with the full band.
His teacher also has the belief that first year students should not play a mid-year concert with the rest of the grades’ bands. She wanted them to have the time in and utmost confidence to really enjoy that first concert.
Naturally, I found this most awesome. Setting up kids for the best possible outcome rings true for me, and so I waited and waited and waited until the very end of the school year for his first concert.
Can you spot Brett?
Can you tell that we live in a white flight suburb?
Let me tell you something, I was totally blown away by this sixth grade band. I mean, sure, they made a few mistakes heres and theres but holy crap, I don’t even know if I heard one clarinet squeak. They sounded better than my twelfth grade band ever could have. Their eight grade band? AMAZING. Man sized, footballer-looking, eighth grade boys played this super cool song on the BELLS. They won top honors this year at competition.
Without further ado, I give you the unasked for, unsolicited sprinkling of sixth grade band music you know you were dying for, at least what my camera could record before its stupid batteries died.
I want you to be aware that this is their FIRST performance and the third time the entire band had ever played together:
Brett’s band director was correct, the trombone is indeed made for this budding showman.
Posted by Melissa on June 13th, 2008 under Observations, Spawn8 Responses to “Sixth Grade Band Rocks House, Details to Follow”
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June 13th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
They sounded great! Congratulations to your son (and to you, too).
June 13th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
They are really good. Most 6th grade bands I have heard are painful to listen to, but they really sound good.
What an impressive teacher, she really must be doing something right.
June 15th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Wow, those kids are great! Most of them have really only been playing for a year? That’s amazing progress.
Need to know which school this fine teacher teaches at. Pleeeeease? (Via email, of course.)
My son definitely wants to play an instrument
June 15th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
That is SO COOL. They do sound great. You told him that chicks dig the guys who play instruments, right?
June 17th, 2008 at 9:12 am
They did sound great! He is so darn cute too :)
June 17th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Lisa, he already knows! His daddy was a drummer in our h.s. band :)
June 17th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
AWESOME!! I did the Catholic school thing so we didn’t have a band until HS..and we had orchestra. I picked the violin. I wish I would have picked the cello but that would have been tough getting in and out of a BiState bus. I don’t regret it for a minute. (ps I picked the violin cause mom said it was really hard and that I should pick the flute or clarinet)..brat …
June 17th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
They truly do NOT sound like 6th graders!