Last night our community band had another solid rehearsal in preparation for two concerts we’re playing soon.  For those of you that played in high school bands you probably remember going to band competition.  A week from Saturday we have something similar, and the night before the competition we have our local concert, sort of a really dressy dress rehearsal for the Saturday competition. I looked around at all the musicians, the high school sophomore french horn player sitting next to the over 70 year old horn player, the base clarinet player who has been with us for 4 years, a kid we’ve seen grow into a lovely young man, the row of young trumpet players concentrating so hard on that fast run in our opening march sitting next to the local dentist who’s been playing his horn longer then they’ve been alive.

I looked at all these people so into the music, loving that they get to play every week.  And I wondered how the young kids do it.  They play in their school band, they are just finished doing their on solo competitions.  And at the moment many of them are working on the school musical “Beauty and the Beast.”  Last night most of our student members were late, coming directly from rehearsing the musical after a full day of school.  Some are playing in the pit orchestra, others are on stage.

Our keyboard player is one of these students stretched to the limit.  An hour into our rehearsal, close to 8 p.m., she arrived along with other members of the musical’s cast.  We were in the middle of a spirited piece of music and when we got to the part where the chimes ring strong they sounded a little anemic.  We stopped.  The director asked for more fire.  The student nodded weakly.  The director asked for confirmation that she could do it.  The student gave a sad little thumbs up and a slow grin and said it had been a long day.

What role are you playing in the musical she was asked.  She lit up and said “I’m a door.”  There was a ripple of laughter through our group.  She protested.  “I”m a cute door, I have a door knob and a little keyhole….”   then someone over on the other side of the band called “And she’s adorable!”   “SEE?!  she said, even Kenny thinks I’m adorable.”  Then she bends at the waist over the xylophone shrieking in laughter.   “Adorable!  OH!   I GET it!”   This totally exhausted high school senior collapsed into giggles.  By then most of us were laughing so hard we were crying.

And so goes another rehearsal of a local community band in a place where we can share our love of the arts.  Their musical opens Thursday.  Husband and I have tickets for Saturday night.  I can’t wait.  We are so lucky to be in a community with such talent.

And they are all so adorable.