honors band concert

When you have four kids you tend to document almost every detail of their life. Not everything, but almost everything. When it comes to music I definitely have to have record of it. I have three girls that play the piano, and tonight it was Alexandra's turn to perform. 

She tried out for honors band about a month ago, and made it in. She is the keyboard player of her school, and absolutely loves it. 

Tonight three middle schools from the township we live in got their honors bands together to play some awesome music! They even added the honors chorus as a bonus! 

There are so many kids who move towards the woodwind, brass & percussion instruments, and not enough string players. Too bad there is no orchestra on this side of town. Alex would be a part of that in a heartbeat! We hope that the high school she's in a couple of years will have one! She had a blast playing in the All south Jersey Jr. orchestra back in January.

Since I didn't play any instrument in school I didn't encourage my girls to play. And the only reason Jon played the trumpet in middle school for one year was so that he could get out of gym class! Nice huh?

So I have a lot of gratitude for the people who played an important role in my life for encouraging me to encourage our kids in learning an instrument.  

One teacher in particular was Sierra's second grade music teacher who told me to get her into piano lessons because she had an innate talent in playing the guitar (which she hasn't done that in long while), and reading music...at 7 years old! I will always be thankful for Mr. Doran in encouraging both my husband & I to get her into lessons because piano is her forte. Her example has made all of her sisters into big time music geeks. 

Alexandra obviously has followed in her footsteps, but also took a bold move in playing the violin, and she admits that is her favorite!

Mr. Nichols has been a great band teacher to all the students. He has been there for Alex in times of need when it comes to any questions she may have that deals with music. 

For the past two years she has made great friends in middle school.

Alex & Destiny-circa, spring 2012

These two young women literally live a hop, skip, and a jump from us and they have been such great friends to Alex. Those are very hard to come by. 

Mr. Nichols, Alex, Edith, & Destiny-present day

So far we are a string family. All the girls play the piano, and Alex is the only one who plays the violin. Who knows what instrument Noah will play in the near future as he gets older. 

I always share my thoughts and feelings about music whenever I write about it, and every time I hear my girls play, or sing it brings me great joy. I am in awe when I hear them because that's something that I never did, and never thought our children would do. It brings peace in the home whenever someone is having a bad day (including the piano player), and comforts every single one of us. I honestly don't know what we'd do without it. 

"Without music life would be a mistake."~Friedrich Neitzsche