My 12-year-old granddaughter Abby went with me to an orchestra Christmas Concert the other night. She had not been to any live concerts to hear more accomplished instrumentalists play, so this was a first. Abby is learning to play the flute in her Middle School beginning band. She was very interested in watching the players and how they used their instruments and how they interacted with one another and the conductor. She also enjoyed how well they played and how enjoyable the music was to listen to.
While we were chatting during the intermission, Abby told me about what it is like to be in her Middle School band. She says that it is one of her favorite classes, besides art, and she is learning a lot. But, she is in a class with a lot of 12-13 year olds. She says that she is starting to understand the personalities of the players and how that corresponds to the instruments they chose to play. For example, she says that the flutes are usually quiet and well behaved. But the trumpets are loud and annoying -- just like their instrument! (Okay, I did mention that Abby plays flute and has just the personality she described --- quiet and well-behaved.)
Abby went on to tell the story of how the first chair trumpet player is the most loud and annoying of all, but he is also the guy that helps the others solve problems in their section. One time one of the trumpet guys was trying to get his stuck mouthpiece off his instrument. After a lot of tugging, he succeeded in getting it free only to drop it into the bell at the other end of the trumpet. Then, the mouthpiece was stuck again. The first chair guy said, "Hey man, that happens to me all the time. Here, give it to me." Then he grabbed the trumpet, turned it upside down and spanked it with his hand really hard. Out popped the mouthpiece. Although Abby was impressed that the guy knew how to help, she still thought the entire incident was loud and annoying.
Apparently, most of the brass instruments and their players are loud and annoying --- trombones, saxophones, baritones, and even tuba. But the percussion players are the most annoying. She says that if you put sticks into a 12 year old's hands, they can't help but bang on anything and everything. Then I asked her about the clarinet players. "Oh, they are the nicest people in the world." Well, isn't that just like a clarinet? It can blend into any sound level in the band (provided that the player has a good reed and has learned not to squeak too much).
One day in class the teacher was trying to explain how to execute a staccato. As usual, the brass players were not giving the teacher their full attention. A saxophone player behind Abby had really not been paying attention, and when they went to start to play, he blurted out, ''Uh...what's a st...st...st...taco?"
Like she said, 13-year-old brass players can be annoying --- funny, but very annoying!
Like she said, 13-year-old brass players can be annoying --- funny, but very annoying!
RSS Feed