Seiling Music Festival!

Well, it's been quite a day.  For more years than I want to count, I have gone to the Seiling Music Festival.  Seiling is a very small town, but they do such a good job of this festival.  Seriously, I have never noticed a hitch when I've gone.  My piano students through the years have performed there.  Then later I became an accompanist for the elementary and junior high students taking instrumental solos.

All of this makes for an exhausting but fulfilling day.  I start going to the school to rehearse with the children about 2 weeks in advance.  I have played the brass solos so long for Seiling and Tri-State that I sort of know them without much rehearsal.  I even have a favorite trumpet solo, "The Pedlar".  I can hum it.  Just ask me.  I'm always ready to perform it.  :D

The last  few years I switched to woodwinds so that Bev Heinrichs could play for the brass.  Her son, Matt, is a brass player.  It was a big sacrifice for me because I've had to learn new solos! :)  Some might say that trying something new is good for me, and maybe they are right.  My secret is, though, that I'm starting to learn them by heart now, too.  :)  One of them is actually a song the choir sings on one of my favorite "Andy Griffith" shows.  I can't help but grin while playing it.  It's the episode where Barney is so off-key that they get him to sing a "solo" on a special "soloist" microphone.  I'm smiling just thinking about it!

Anyway, I'm tired and happy.  It was a good day, and I am thankful that I am still able to do things like this.  Also, Larry Beeby was one of the judges for the band performances.  It was good to see him!