Solo & Ensemble is finally over! It was a good experience, but I’m glad it’s done for the year. I got ones (or firsts or passing grades) in both of my events. In trumpet, which was scheduled for just after we arrived, I didn’t do as well as I had hoped–quite a bit worse that I had just played the song at home–an 85, the lowest passing score. At least, I did well on scales and sight reading. And for the first time in my S&E career, the judge didn’t make any comments about my embouchure! For my piano competition, which was later in the day, I got an 89–better than trumpet–and better than I had hoped for! I had a lot of people praying for me, and for the piano (it was a very good piano, compared to the one at district). It was a record S&E for HSMA, also. Three members of the organization score perfect 100’s, and several events were invited to the state honors festival. Only three proficiencies didn’t pass! The only bad part about doing so well is that tonight Mr. Case, the HSMA president, will have to make a long speech about how great HSMA is, and how no one went unprepared, and then pass out all the proficiency sheets. All that wouldn’t be so bad, but it takes time away from our normal band rehearsal.

You may have noticed that you get a random music player each time you come to our blog–the result of my first javascript program! Even more surprising, it worked on the first try! Mr. Jim hasn’t had a chance to work on the church computer yet, since he was in Washington D.C. to do political stuff for Farm Bureau. If–or when–he gets it back up and running, I’ll put some of my own piano music–recorded just before the crash–on the blog.

A blessed Holy Week to you all!

Jonathan