“How Do I Get To The Concert Hall?”

We’ve all heard the answer, “Practice, practice, practice”.

Have you heard the one about the eight year old who worked hard to get OUT OF playing the concert hall? Not yet.

For months we’d heard that the third-graders had the opportunity to play at Roy Thompson Hall with the Toronto Symphony. We greeted the news as any proud parents would, we gushed.

“That’s incredible! You’re going to accompany the Toronto Symphony! That’s BIG!” we shouted.

“I don’t care I don’t want to”, the eight year old said flatly.

We just brushed it off as nerves.

The campaign to NOT go began in earnest.

“There will be people there watching, listening. I don’t like that at all”, he railed.

“That’s the fun part the audience is one of the reasons we perform the other reason is that we love to play”, I encouraged.

“But I don’t really like the recorder and I don’t like playing it and I don’t like playing it with an orchestra in a big concert hall and I don’t want to go there”, he retorted.

“Honey I support you and everything you do and this is a great opportunity to feel what it’s like to perform in front of a large crowd and hear the applause and fantasize that you are Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz singing in front of the whole world and the whole world is cheering because the whole world adores you”, I thought, but realized that was MY childhood fantasy. He just wants to be the cool kid on the skateboard trying to kill himself on wheels in a variety of ways.

“But honey I support you and everything you do and once you are playing you’ll see what a great experience it is”, was what I should have said.

“You’re going”, is what came out.

We got a sneak peak at his school’s music night. First we had to listen to the fifth grade string players. My elbow was firmly planted in the husbands side the whole time so I could hold his laughing out loud hostage. I have great sympathy for anyone learning a stringed instrument, especially the violin, the learning curve is out there for everyone to hear and it is usually cringe-worthy to have to listen. The husband plastered a wide grin on his face but I know if I let my elbow relax we would have been in trouble. The husband has a wee bit of a cruel streak which comes out in the form of loud laughter especially if someone unexpectedly trips and falls within eye shot. After the last note was almost played, the third graders came out and presented three musical selections including the one that will be accompanied by the TSO. It was pleasant enough. Most of the notes worked together. One or two were obviously faking it, but it didn’t ruin the experience. I kept an eye on the husband every time a sour note sounded but he was still feeling the affects of the elbow in the gut and remained well behaved. The eight year old had a great smile on his face. He really did enjoy performing in front of an audience.

Today he was packed up for the school trip. He had his lunch, too-short pants on, too short socks on and a blue button down shirt. The husband gel-d his hair as I buttoned his shirt.

“I feel famous”, he said.

The husband cracked up.

It’s going to be a memorable day for him with many more to come in his life whether he’s performing for an audience or just going to school. But I wish for him to always have music -everyone needs a soundtrack for their life.