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footfootfoot · 12-16-2016, 08:50 AM

Last night my kids school had what they called a concert. Let me get out of the way that I understand it's all about the kids® and blah blah blah. For the juniors and seniors who have been in band for a few years now and who have actually regularly practiced their instruments during that time it makes perfect sense to put them on stage and showcase their skills and talents etc.

But for the kids who just picked up an instrument 12 weeks ago, NOBODY needs to hear them play except their teacher. Making them perform and us listen to them is basically the same as everyone wins and gets an award! Yeah for everyone! You know who should get an award? Everyone who was forced to listen to them playing. For 90 minutes. While sitting in a dim, mercury vapor illuminated gym on folding metal chairs.

The started the concert with the Star Spangled Banner and it was about fifteen bars in before everyone recognized it and stood for the national anthem. And this is a conservative, flag thumping, war mongering crowd.

The band teacher in the past has droned on and on, for minutes at a time - between songs, about her personal philosophy on music, education, the human condition, her personal feelings on music, education, the human condition, and how it's all about the kids® and how music, and education will improve their lives and the human condition. This time she only droned on about the same before leading the band into what was supposed to be Guantanamera, but was more likely a thinly veiled ethnic slur.

There were five grade schoolers who, laudable for their bravery, got up on stage to perform solos with their respective instruments that they had been practicing for about 4 weeks. The solos were mercifully brief.

The band teacher chose far too many numbers, about half as many, better performed would have been better received.

There was one girl, a sixth grader, I think who totally killed it on flute. She clearly practiced, didn't hit a single wrong note and played Ode to Joy. Very, very talented. Otherwise it was 90 minutes of atonal cacophony on hard metal chairs.

12-16-2016, 08:50 AM	#27
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Last night my kids school had what they called a concert. Let me get out of the way that I understand it's all about the kids® and blah blah blah. For the juniors and seniors who have been in band for a few years now and who have actually regularly practiced their instruments during that time it makes perfect sense to put them on stage and showcase their skills and talents etc. But for the kids who just picked up an instrument 12 weeks ago, NOBODY needs to hear them play except their teacher. Making them perform and us listen to them is basically the same as everyone wins and gets an award! Yeah for everyone! You know who should get an award? Everyone who was forced to listen to them playing. For 90 minutes. While sitting in a dim, mercury vapor illuminated gym on folding metal chairs. The started the concert with the Star Spangled Banner and it was about fifteen bars in before everyone recognized it and stood for the national anthem. And this is a conservative, flag thumping, war mongering crowd. The band teacher in the past has droned on and on, for minutes at a time - between songs, about her personal philosophy on music, education, the human condition, her personal feelings on music, education, the human condition, and how it's all about the kids® and how music, and education will improve their lives and the human condition. This time she only droned on about the same before leading the band into what was supposed to be Guantanamera, but was more likely a thinly veiled ethnic slur. There were five grade schoolers who, laudable for their bravery, got up on stage to perform solos with their respective instruments that they had been practicing for about 4 weeks. The solos were mercifully brief. The band teacher chose far too many numbers, about half as many, better performed would have been better received. There was one girl, a sixth grader, I think who totally killed it on flute. She clearly practiced, didn't hit a single wrong note and played Ode to Joy. Very, very talented. Otherwise it was 90 minutes of atonal cacophony on hard metal chairs. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs