Band on the run

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of attending Mark's middle-school band winter concert. And because I'm a giver, I invited Edra and my cousin Kathleen along, too, so they could share in the holiday joy. Since they graciously accepted and sat through an hour of songs by kids they don't even know (except for Mark), I hereby nominate them for Best Friends of the Year.

There are a lot of kids in the band. Actually, there were a lot of bands in the band! They included the 6th grade and Advanced Orchestras, the 6th Grade and Advanced Bands, and the Jazz Band.

Mark plays percussion in the 6th Grade and Jazz bands. Jazz band already has a drummer, so Mark is biding his time, waiting for that kid to move on to high school. Until then, he plays an impressive array of percussion instruments.

I heard the Jazz band play at the recent Dad's Donut Day, so I knew they were pretty good. The orchestra was also good. The songs all started off a bit iffy, but once the kids got into the chorus, the tunes were recognizable and even enjoyable (and, thankfully, not long).

I loved watching all the kids during the concert. They were complete professionals when they played, but when they weren't playing, they seemed kinda bored. I couldn't take my eyes off one girl in the front row who kept yawning. It sent me into a fit of giggles at one point, and only a steely glare from my cousin shut me up.

The percussion group seemed a little bit confused. I think there were just too many of them sharing too small a space. They moved around awkwardly between songs, bossing each other around. Mark talked to his buddy non-stop. I kept saying to Kathleen and Edra, "Oh my God, he never shuts up!" And then I realized I was also talking non-stop throughout the concert, and that sadly, my little apple did not fall far from the tree.

Edra made sure that Mark saw her. She waved wildly at him up onstage, and he gave her a barely-perceptible "What up?" nod. She kept on waving, and he opened his eyes bigger to acknowledge her. She still kept on waving, and finally, embarrassed, and not knowing what else to do, he turned away. He stole a look at her a moment later, and turned bright red when she started waving again. It was hilarious--Kathleen and I could not stop giggling. She kept torturing him, but he kept his cool the whole time. (After the concert, he freaked out a bit, saying, "We aren't allowed to wave back!!!")

Mark, wishing Auntie Edra would stop waving at him.

 

Mark played in three songs. He played tambourine during "The Tempest," staring at the music sheet intently, and making sure he hit every note exactly when he was supposed to. He played snare drum during a rousing version of Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik." Another drummer played a big kettle drum, giving the song an oom-pah feel, and I wanted to swing a stein of beer in the air along with the music.

Mark also busted out the bells for "Blue Skies." As I've mentioned before, the bells are really more like a xylophone than actual hand-held bells, but whatever. Mark played the heck outta those bad boys, and I hereby nominate him as the Baddest Bell Player in town. 

Bell yeah, that kid can play!

All in all, it was a fabulous evening. I got to see Mark get all dressed up, and do something he's really good at. I was so proud of him! He looked great, sounded great, and concentrated so hard during his parts.

Sean and Mark, who do NOT like their photos taken. Moody musicians!

It was fun to see his friends playing in the band, and to say hi to all their parents in the audience. And it was even more fun to go out to dinner afterwards with Edra and Kathleen to celebrate Mark's performance. That's how we always celebrated big achievements in my family growing up, and it felt great to keep up the tradition.

And, just for future reference, if anyone ever needs a bell player, you let me know. I know one who rocks the fake-xylophone.

Yum yum...

I love a good donut, and I love any family event at Mark's school. This morning, those loves converged.

It was the annual Dad's donut day, and though I'm technically not a father, I figure I taught the kid to throw a baseball, and that's gotta count for something. (Let's not bring up the neighbor's window, huh?) Besides, Mark's regular proxy father (his grandpa) is out sailing the seven seas and feasting on soft serve ice cream, so someone had to step up.

It was also Mark's debut with the school jazz band, who played during breakfast. The band already has a drummer, so Mark's biding his time until that kid goes off to high school next year. Until the drums free up, Mark plays the...bells. (I don't know how bells made the cut as a percussion "instrument.") I was picturing hand bells a la The New Girl (Eye of the Tiger! Ensembell!), but they really turned out to be some sort of xylophone-type thing. Which just kinda confused me, but I was proud of his performance none-the-less.

I know, this isn't the best picture. Musicians are moody--I had to use the "No picture, no donut" threat just to get this photo.

The band sounded really good. They played a Christmas tune, a few jazz standards, "La Bamba," and one song that was either the "Winnie the Pooh" theme or "Let's Fall in Love." They also played "Blue Skies," which Mark serenaded me with before school--love me a boy that knows Irving Berlin!

After the concert, Mark headed straight for the donuts. (Or, as my friend Kelley calls them dismissively, "Fried dough and sugar." As in, Kelley: "I don't like donuts, because all they are is fried dough and sugar." Heather: "Exactly! What's not to like???")

Mark then went outside, where he tried to dodge me numerous times, since hanging with your mom at school is about as cool as...oh, wait, nothing. There's nothing cool about hanging out with your mom when you're a middle schooler. So he tried to ditch me a couple times, but I'm quick. I kept on him like the sprinkles on a donut.

To Mark's relief, the bell rang shortly after, and we headed to his computer class, where I realized too late that all the other moms angling for a free donut had left. It was just me, the kids and the dads. I apologized to Mark in my head, but he was already annoyed I was there, so my gender didn't annoy him any more than he already was.

I was a little freaked out by Mark's friends, though. They're all too old for the after school kid's club now, so I don't see them on a daily basis like I used to. I haven't seen some of them since summer, and they've shot up like weeds. They've also lost their little baby faces, and they definitely look like young men now. Young men who are taller than me, and whose voices are starting to change a bit. And don't even get me started on the hair flipping...I owe Justin Beiber a punch in the head for introducing that nervous tic to America's tweens.

Anyway...we said the Pledge of Allegiance as a group, then watched the special Dad's day video presentation. This year, Mark's class starred in it, and there was a very nice shot of Mark reading a book upside down. He pointed it out to me twice. I'm awfully proud.

The dads started slipping out right after the video. I giggled a bit, because that right there is the difference between the dad's day and the mom's day events--the moms stay in class almost the whole first period--the teachers just about kick them out. I always feel guilty because I'm the first mom to sneak out (I can only take so much map-making with beans, or other such crafts), but here, finally, was my moment to shine as an involved parent. I blinked my eye and all the dads were gone. I was the last man--err, mom--standing. Winner!

And with that, I was done. I resisted the urge to kiss Mark on the head in front of his peers (social death by embarrassment), and patted him on the back instead.

"I'm outta here," I said. I whispered our daily morning goodbye--"Do good, be good" and then I was gone.

It was such a good morning that I whistled happily the whole walk home--"Winnie the Pooh," I think, or maybe it was "Let's Fall in Love." Whatever. It just felt good to be Mom again.