Arrrgh!!!

I was a band director in my earlier life. Despite that, most of my extended family has not played musical instruments. I think five of my thirteen nieces and nephews took up an instrument and stayed with it.

YN is fourteen. She is in eight grade in Indiana, and this is her first solo. She played it for me a couple of times, as she was learning the piece, and I helped her out a little. I talked to her about what the judge was hoping to hear, and encouraged her to keep working on it.

So, yesterday, she called to tell me her hard work had panned out. Her band director had asked her to get up and play her solo on Friday before the band. Of all the experiences she might have, that must have been the most difficult. It's always harder to play for your peers than it is to play for a stranger, even when that stranger is going to be judging your performance. Apparently she did so well, that the band was really awed!

She said that earlier in the day, when they went to hear another student perform, the judge had seemed rather distant, perhaps a little cold to the contestants. Rather than live accompaniment, YN had to play her solo to a taped piano accompaniment. That's terribly difficult for a young performer. She got off for a couple of measures, and then got right back on track.

The judge was VERY complimentary. He gave her a gold, which is the top division, and encouraged her to start working on her vibrato.

Gosh.....I'm so pleased for her! Even if she hadn't gotten gold, I would have been proud that she went and tried, but getting the gold is the icing on the cake.

Congratulations, sweetie! If you're reading this, I want you to know that I'm really proud of you!