I'm So Proud of My Son
Long before I knew my son's band concert was scheduled for Wednesday, I had planned to go see Thao and Xiu Xiu, which would have been fun, but as it turns out I ended up going to a much better show.
My son played the tuba in his concert last night, and I simply must share how proud I am of him. The piece he played with his brass quintet, the Canadian Brass arrangement of "Amazing Grace," was one of the highlights of the night, hands down (in my completely unbiased opinion!). Seriously, though, the song is both difficult and entertaining, and that really made it stand out among the other performances.
He and the other players were really wonderful. I told him how much I loved it and how well he played but he pretty much shrugged off my praise because after all, I'm just his mom, therefore I'm obligated to say such things.
Maybe someday he'll be able to look back and recognize how truly deserving he was of my words. I guess until that day comes I'll have to be satisfied with the, "OK, yes" (read: please shut up already) responses I get when I tell him how well I think he did.
Tegan and Sara--"Proud" mp3 off This Business of Art (buy)
George Michael--"Mother's Pride" mp3 off Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (buy) (Don't scoff, this is a beautiful song)
Phosphorescent--"Pride" mp3 off Pride (buy)
I come from a musical family, did I ever tell you that? My parents were both musicians and in fact they met when they both played in a German orchestra. My father played violin and accordion and sang, and my mother played flute and piccolo. When she was young she played with the Cleveland Women's Symphony, so she must have been pretty good herself. My brother is also in a band, a really good classic-rock cover band. He plays flute, keyboards guitar, trumpet and he sings.
I seem to have missed out on the musician gene. Well, I can sing, but I never learned to play an instrument well enough to perform in public. I've sung on stage but it's been quite a while since I sang anything worth mentioning. Other than some really embarrassing karaoke, that is!
Anyway, my son obviously got the real talent, and I am so very proud of him.
And what a majestic instrument the tuba is. I know how you feel as my
13-year-old son also plays the tuba. I too well with pride every time he
carries it onto stage and those deep, resonant notes are heard above the
trills and melodies running below them. Sure, your mother's option of flute
and piccolo was certainly a more convenient option and the tuba can be a
bugger to carry around, but may the young tuba players of the world
continue to play beautiful music and fill hearts with joy.
Excellent! But it really is funny how they can roll their eyes at our
glowing reviews of their performance. Secretly, though, you know they are
gleaming inside at your comment, but they have to be "cool."
johnny--i love the way you put that. i listen for the tuba part very
carefully whenever he plays. we also like to shout "more tuba!"
That is awesome! Congratulations! I think playing an instrument is vital to
a child's development. :-) I played the piano and the violin all through
out middle school and high school.
wendy--i keep telling him that devotchka has a tuba player and he is not
impressed! he even argues with me when i point out what i think is the tuba
and says it's the string bass. classic rejection of all things
mother-related. : )
That is wonderful - I can feel your pride seeping right through the
monitor! Congrats, Dearest Marcy! Congrats, Dearest Marcy's Tuba-Wielding
Godlike Son!!!
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