June 24, 2005 - Friday
If you were to hear that we went to a student drum recital this evening and listened to something like a dozen percussion students showing their relative musical progress, you'd surely think that we were simply doing our parental duty, patiently sitting through an hour plus of unmelodious banging. Maybe you'd smile at the thought of a night only a parent could appreciate. But, oh my, did I love this night!

First, the entire concert was surprisingly enjoyable. Pretty much all of the pieces were graciously concise and, contrary to the potential horror of an hour of constant banging, there was a very pleasant variety of marimba, timpani, jazz drumming, and drumming to taped music. But, mostly there was Harry, Harry the drummer, and this night could not have been better.

At five years of age, I'm quite sure that Harry had more on his mind coming into this recital than Jeremy did last week for his recital. Of course, Harry isn't really one to let on much when he's worried or nervous about something like this, so it's hard to really know, but he did opt out of an afternoon birthday party and gladly cut short his T-ball practice so he wouldn't get too tired for his recital. He understood at least something of the magnitude of performing for a crowd. In fact, I was a little worried when we got to the concert hall because, although the recital wasn't to start for several minutes, Harry refused to go up on stage to look around. I knew it would be important to get rid of as much stage anxiety as possible up front, to look out at the seats where the people were gathering, and to sit just for a moment at the drumset he would use. So I kept encouraging him to come up on stage with me. He finally did go, but it took constant coaxing for him to stay. We did poke around in the off-stage storage room, found that secret side door (above, left side of picture) onto the stage right behind his drumset, and finally, banged a little bit on the drums. Was he nervous? I think so, but I don't really know for sure. He was certainly pensive.

Harry's spot was sixth, exactly in the middle of the program and for the first five students he sat coolly with his eyes fixed on the performers. Nerves? Maybe, but I'm just not sure. In hindsight, I think it may have been a combination of anxiousness and true interest, because when his turn came he got up, deliberately marched up on stage, and went right to his set. He even had a little banter with his teacher, Abe (above, right of picture). It turns out that I was probably more nervous than he, because I forget to hand him his sheet music and had to run up behind him.

And Harry's performance? Fabulous. It was steady, it had dynamic range, it was solid, and it showed real progress. That's all I could have hoped for. But interestingly, it was not exactly what was in the music on the page. I'm guessing that with the music stand as high as it was Harry probably lost his place at one point. But that just made the whole thing even better. He vamped and he improvised and he came through it without a hint of distress and ended with a robust roll-off.

If there is a disappointment for the evening, it is only this photo (right). I missed the shot of his very deep bow and of what came next. This shot is right after he seemingly busted out from behind the drums and went into a bow so deep that his head nearly touched his toes and right before he burst into one of the biggest, broadest, loveliest smiles I've ever seem Harry make. I think he's biting his lip here, but maybe you can see the smile coming. And boy did it come. It came and it stayed as he nearly ran back to his mother and me. It was glorious as fell into our arms and it lingered for just about the rest of the night.

I was absolutely not looking for any sort of pay off tonight for all the time we spent at the music school this spring, bringing the boys there just about every Thursday since February. Nor do I ever think about the almost preposterous expense of buying private music lessons for a three and five year old, let alone buying a drumset and renting a cello. But, if I did it would have all been a bargain, if only for this moment. As a parent there are few things that are as truly rewarding and fulfilling as seeing that type of smile, that type of pride, and that type of self-confidence. This is the reason we did it, these music lessons, I just didn't expect so much so soon.


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