Music Fair

The school held a Music Fair today, after school, where the kids could try different instruments.

CyclopsJnr already learns drumkit so we weren't looking for him to start a second instrument, however he was super-keen to try a trumpet and having checked earlier in the week the teacher organizing it said we wouldn't be wasting anyone's time if we brought him in for a go.

So we signed up CyclopsJnr for a try of a trumpet and the snare drum (as in pipe band) but when we arrived it turned out the snare drum teacher hadn't been able to come. So as to avoid any disappointment we looked at which instruments might have a free slot.

So CyclopsJnr tried the trumpet, chanter, double bass and bassoon.

He really enjoyed the double bass and got on well with trying it.

But what a complete surprise, he just took to the bassoon like a natural. The teacher said by the end of a year of lessons he'd want a child to hold a note for ten seconds, and CyclopsJnr could do five today the first day he picked up a bassoon. So the teacher showed him tonguing and he could do that too. I think the teacher gave CyclopsJnr much longer than he'd planned to as we had 15 or 20 minutes instead of 5, and by the end I felt we were being actively courted. The teacher started on what size bassoon he might need and the practicalities of minimizing instrument costs and the impact of orthodontic treatment (minimal) and other such things that might persuade us. It wasn't the hard sell, it was more like he wanted to snap CyclopsJnr up. CyclopsJnr demonstrated himself knowledgeable about bassoons by volunteering that the bassoon was in Peter and the Wolf, which the teacher seemed to find pleasing, and they went on to talk about the Sorcerer's Apprentice in Fantasia. It was extremely wholesome. Eep. Bassoon was not in the plan. 

Well a great experience anyway, whatever happens.

While we were walking to the Music Fair we passed a picture on the wall of CyclopsJnr holding a trophy. Turns out he got the P4 monthly Positive Recognition Certificate for science!