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| Benjamin's weapon of choice, the Baritone Horn. |
Benjamin for a good long while had been talking about the trumpet. But after testing it out last week, he found it hurt his braces (at least for him). Then over the weekend he became interested in the saxophone. Alison got out her clarinet, and although she could still produce sounds out of it, he could not. It might happen down the road, but we did not have the training to teach him.
But when we got there, the Band Director and his assistant showed Benjamin another possibility. The assistant took him to a side room and introduced him to the Baritone Horn. We heard some beautiful sounds coming from and immediately knew that was the assistant. Then we heard these tentative, bleating sounds coming form it, and we knew that was Benjamin. But, hey! At least it was sound!
So the Baritone Horn was selected, a rent-to-own plan was established (up to five years to pay for this bad boy!). And the great experiment has begun. Will he be able to do it, as his big Brother Doug did? Or his Grandfather Strait? Or his mother Alison? Or will he take after his father and be unable to play an instrument to save his life? There is no pre-testing at his school so we just don't know.
But I pray that he does. Band was a very positive influence on the development of Doug. It provided a sense of belonging, discipline and exercise. Alison also remembers it very, very fondly. The band when I was in school was very popular and successful. Even though I wasn't in it, it was a huge source of pride at our school.
So we shall soon see what kind of adventure we are in for. Hopefully one that will enrich Benjamin in manifold ways. At this point, the only ones who seem skeptical of the whole enterprise are the dogs. They have to steel themselves for the house to be filled with some new sounds.
Band; oh what memories. Not so great either. I "played" the clarinet and I had a very old clarinet (maybe my mothers) and I truly believe the band teacher never liked me because of it, I didn't have the nice shiny new models all the other clarinet players had. To this day, I don't feel I was treated fairly. I also wasn't very good and I really didn't practice like I should have. I wanted the beautiful fancy schmancy flutes; like so many other girls had. Band for me didn't last long. But kudos to those kids who try and even more to those that stay with it. My girls played flute for a couple of years. I hope my grandson will play the piano and violin!
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