The Boy Who Lives Music

Last night was the Awards Night ceremony for #2 Son's graduating high school class.
We went and were proud to see our son win a musical award, the Band Director's Award.

**This clip is of 4 awards given out by the music department.  #2 Son is the first one so you don't have to watch the whole clip if you don't want to.  Unfortunately I don't know how to edit film yet. ;-)



And here are #2 and Hubs posing for a photo after the ceremony was over.

#2 Son has a passion for music. It all began in 6th grade when he decided he wanted to play the flute in his grade school band.  Both his older siblings had played trumpet but no amount of coaxing could get him to not want to play that "girl's instrument". lolz

He picked up playing electric bass in 8th grade after saving up money to buy himself a bass at the local guitar/instrument store.
Along the way he also learned to play the double bass or contrabass and is teaching himself the clarinet because a friend gave him an old one they had.

 He has participated in musical bands at school(plus taking private lessons)since middle school-- marching band 6 years(I think), concert band for 5 years, jazz band for 4 years(on the electric bass), played in the pit orchestra for every musical since high school, did a stint in the string ensemble band(on the double bass), as well as formed a "garage band" outside of school and is cutting a cd of songs with them in hopes of one day finding paying gigs. 
He's gone to Districts competition for flute the last 2 years, performed in Marching Band competitions(placing 1st for the State Regionals in PA once) and performed at Jazz competitions on the electric bass the last 3 years, winning a Solo Performance award at Bloomsburg University this year.

He participated in track as a freshman but gave that up after one season as his heart wasn't in it.
His heart is in music and he hopes to make a career in the music world.

#2 Son is pretty much an introvert and has few friends and has had a hard time finding his way as a teenager.  He wasn't a jock or one of the popular, cool or ultra brainy kids in school.  Being in band he was looked down upon by his fellow classmates as a band geek.
He had a hard time at points fitting into the teenage hierarchy and pecking order in high school.  I think his music helped him cope with what at times seemed to be a miserable time as a teen.
When I think of #2 Son I can't help to be reminded of that Thoreau quote......

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."--Henry David Thoreau

#2 Son truly lives for music and he wants to try to make it his life.
It's a hard life for most who pursue music as a vocation.  But it's what he wants to do so we are 100% behind him and gave him the freedom to take all that money we saved for his college education to major in music.  It's not a popular choice and had my brothers told my father they wanted to pursue a degree in the arts he would have had a cow and then not paid a penny toward their dreams.

It may not be the prudent choice......the concentration that will guarantee the highly paid career for his future, heck he'll probably have trouble paying his monthly bills as those in this profession are not well compensated for their work(unless you are one of the elite few).
But money isn't everything so why spend your life doing something you hate just for the money?
He eats, sleeps and breathes music.
Thankfully his parents are fully supportive of his goals and dreams and always have been, no matter what they turn out to be.

I am so happy to see his love for music being recognized by those at his school.
And needless to say I am proud of him.

And I keep reminding him that if he ever makes it big with his garage band that he needs to remember who has always been in his corner and yes, I'd like that convertible custom purple Rolls Royce for my birthday. 8-)))

Sluggy