Band

I was in band for a very few years in my tender youth. In sixth grade it was the flute - poor Mr. Daniels. I was fascinated that he could bear to listen to us and not run out of the school gym - it was that terrible. Continuing in junior high school for seventh and eighth grades, I competed very poorly for 'first chair' flute with the truly talented whose names I have forgotten, even though I remember what they looked like so plainly - wait... Jill ...nevermind. I spent time admiring the saxophone players, the trombone players, and the drummers - cute boys, all, to us giggling young flutists. (hahahahahaha - never could a term be used more loosely than that) High school band camp was not allowed to me --- not exactly sure why, unless it had to do with going away to a camp with boys,for a week, much too far from the supervision of my vigilant parents. I didn't regret letting band go, since I knew that I was not a really band person. Band, and my lack of talent there, is still in my dreams, though. Yes, inadequacy dreams - oh, the relief of waking! Especially from the one in which I am surprised to find myself in the band room again, realizing that I am (the only one) completely unprepared, and the conductor is about to raise his baton to signal Begin!

Nightmares aside, I remain mesmerized by orchestral music. That these people can work together, each doing their part, which, when played alone, often sounds nothing like anything at all, and it all fits together to make - WOW - something so beautiful! I can't express clearly enough how impressed I am with this: