I am indescribably proud of the band's performance at our studio recital last night. Everyone looked professional, behaved with great respect for other performers, arrived on time, came to the front without prompting when it was our turn, was very focused...and gave an outstanding performance of our pieces! That was absolutely the best playing I have heard from this group, and possibly from any beginner band.
This first year with JSCB has been an immensely rewarding experience for me. My passion for band, which had been laying dormant for a few years, has been not only rekindled, but fanned into a roaring bonfire. I feel a rush of excitement when a band member "nails" a part with which he or she has been struggling. I love the music and the satisfaction and beauty of transforming the initial cacophony into structure and harmony.
More than that, I have met new people who I now consider dear friends. I delight in getting to know the personality of each band member. I appreciate their respect for each other and for me, their diligence, and their encouragement of each other. I am honoured and blessed by the times parents have brought me a cup of coffee or a loaf of warm homemade bread, looked after my younger children during or after rehearsal, accompanied us on piano, taken an active role in their children's practising, or have expressed appreciation through kind words and gifts.
All of this--the music and everything that flows out of our common goal and stretches beyond--this is community. Just as every line in a composition is vital to the integrity of the
piece, so every person in the band is integral to its success. Perhaps that is what I love most about music: the community it symbolizes, the community it requires, and the community it creates.
