Making Music

音楽を作っている。

 

It was Spirit Day at the American School in Japan which is like an all school festival day, centered around sports, including the HS Homecoming football game, girls volleyball, a swim-meet, cross-country, and more, including Taiko drumming, food booths, bazaar, etc.  Students, teachers, parents, the whole ASIJ community was there, including most of their dogs.  Of course we brought our frisbee and played a couple of strong rounds on the football field before the game started.  Whew.  That was good exercise.  I do love frisbee.  Then, sitting on the grass, slugging down green tea, people watching...   What's this?  Seemingly out of nowhere come these five Japanese strolling minstrels.  I say strolling, but they were much more playful, highly energetic and making the kind of music that has you wanting to get up and follow them in the dance.  Oh, look... a bunch of kids are doing just that... and who's that taking the lead?  Jonah?!  I wish you could have heard it.  Such a boisterous joyful sound.  Even without sound, the pictures give you the idea of the energy.  The smiles tell it all, I think.  JAPANESE MUSICIANS PIX

Those musicians were very entertaining, in their whimsical bright costumes, the way they danced around, their eyes smiling while they played their instruments on the run.  But it wasn't all show. Certainly untold hours of practice came before.  Enthusiasm will take you a long way, but you've got to practice to get that kind of talent. 

Jonah is in Rookie Band with several other 6th graders.  They play various instruments, which they began to learn a couple of months ago when school started.  Jonah's choice was the trumpet.  He considered the trombone, but his arms weren't long enough.  He's very good about remembering to bring his trumpet home and practice every night.  At first I let him practice in the living room, but after a couple of sessions I decided that maybe his bedroom would be a better place for all concerned.  Last week, his Dad and I attended the first concert of the Rookie Band.  Later I talked with Jonah and his friend Alan (who's arms are long enough for the trombone) about the experience.  Both agreed that practicing is hard, and made the point that it seems like you can play better when you are playing with other students.  I must admit it was a surprise to me.  I actually recognized a couple of the tunes... Three Blind Mice, Camptown Races.  ROOKIE BAND PIX

最近私たちは子供の学校でかっこいい音楽のグループを合いました。あの五人はとても上手で、愉快かったです。マティンと私はよくフリスビーを投げただから、疲れた。その時に日本人のミンストレルは突然に出席した。楽しかったです。

そして二月前にジョナはトランペットを吹く始めました。毎日彼は練習をしてが、まだ下手です。先週で、最初のコンサトをありました。とても面白かったです。一人で、毎学生はちょっとですが、一緒にでよりよくなります。

Comments

[Matt Scholl]

Very cool.
Lizzie is learning flute this year. she was very discouraged at first because she couldn't make the proper tones and struggled with fingering. I told her to just focus on getting the tone right at first, then learn the songs. With a lot of practice, she now thoroughly enjoys it and many nights we have to tell her to stop playing and goto bed.

[pamela]

Matt, you have to tell Lizzie to stop practicing? Well, we're not there yet, but that first concert did motivate Jonah to improve. He's been practicing much more, ever since.
Last night at dinner, Jonah informed us that he's the third worst of the 14 trumpets in his class. Always the engineer, Martin wanted to help him set measurable objectives. "What would it take for you to become the third best?" he asked him. Jonah calmly answered, "A miracle."