A Symphonic Experience

As a teacher, I am often invited to my students’ performances.  Whether it’s for choir, band, or a sporting event, and this year was no exception.  Last night I was invited to the school’s band concert.  The students’ invite are always the day of the performance and the students naively believe that whomever they are inviting should be comfortable with dropping any plans they might have to see them perform.  In all truth, they have no regard for the teacher being tired, living in a different city from the school, or having any prior engagements.  Normally my response is, “I’ll try to make it” knowing deep down inside I would not be leaving my home once I got there.  Well, last night I actually decided I would attend. I had classes asking me to attend, so I went.

The concert was held at the feeder high school that our students would attend upon completing 8th grade at our Junior High.  When I walked into the auditorium, I soon heard students excitedly saying “She’s here” and eagerly calling my name so that I could see them and wave back.  These are 6th graders, so they are still very proud and eager to impress their teachers.

Before the concert began, I thought about my time in band and how great I believed my band performances were, and then began to I wonder what I would be hearing. Not necessarily the music selection, but what it would sound like. Would it be something just as great or even better than my Junior High band performances?  I then remembered a car commercial that aired towards the end of last year (2022). In the commercial, there’s a lady at her child’s Christmas Band Concert and it shows her in the driver’s side reclining her seat. You soon hear the squeaks and blurts of noise meant to be the melodious sounds coming from metal and wood in its attempt to become a collective symphonic sound. As this is happening she is seen bringing the windows up in an effort to block out the majority of the music.

When my students’ first note rang out,  I imagined being this woman.  Their first note sounded as if they were beginning the warm-up. You know that sound that sounds like a garble of notes before the actual song is played?  I smiled. My students had worked so hard to sound so terrible.  They were so proud of their ineptitude to be one with their instrument.  They were desperately trying to work as a unit but there was mostly failure…, but it was so cute.  Upon finishing their first song, they beamed big and bright in their finest ensembles, in their misstep to be a unified ensemble. 

But like every parent there, I knew that when I saw them the next day, it would be my duty to inform them of how great they sounded. To let them know how wonderful they looked, and how I was so proud of the great job they had done. Well done 6th Grade Band…Well Done! A lesson can be learned from this: Sometimes the outcome may not show your hard-work. More importantly my students were delighted to see me there and I was proud of myself for sacrificing my time to come see them…even if it was just for two whole songs.

Click below to see the commercial:

https://youtu.be/AvV6ufWJqN0