Music, Bands and Choirs

It seems that Grafton is certainly not short of musical activities!  The past week we have been busily checking out the various bands on offer at the conservatorium, plus begining music lessons and singing with the choir.

First, music lessons.  Both Helena and Lizzie began lessons at the conservatorium this week.  The teachers are brilliant, and the staff are wonderful.  The lessons went very well, and both my girls are looking forward to the last few weeks of term.  Daniel and I will begin lessons next year, and we, too, are most excited about the opportunities!  We did have a 'moment', when my Lizzie almost decided to put away her trumpet in favour of learning the Tuba (gasp - the TUBA!), but fortunately for me, she changed her mind, and will continue with trumpet lessons, at least for now.

As well as lessons, there are the various bands.  String Ensemble, Clarenza, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Big Band are just some of what is on offer - we tried most of them out this week, and are now deciding which ones to become a part of.  Helena will be involved in several, meaning she will be attending the conservatorium several days per week.  I will be accompanying her and also become a part of some of them.  We are already booked in for a concert next weekend, so we have certainly been thrown in at the deep end!  Lots of time needed for practice this coming week, although it is at a level we can handle, so we'll be fine.

During the week, we also joined the local 'Sing Australia' choir.  We had been members of this Australia-wide choir back in SA, and were delighted to discover that Grafton had a local choir as well.  Man, those guys ROCK!   We had a SUCH a fun night, and the choir members are so funny!  They actually apologised for being a little 'crazy', but we soon put any fears to rest, and assured them that in that case, we'd fit right in!

I had such a funny conversation at choir – I was chatting to a man there, and he said, ‘Y’know, you sound just like a farmer who came to do some work for me recently.  His wife was about due to have a baby, and as he left, I asked what he was going to do for the rest of the day.  He said, ‘I’m going shopping’.  I thought he must have been going to buy a present for his wife, but he said, ‘No, I’m going to buy a train set!’.  At that, I asked if, therefore, he know they were going to have a boy.  But he didn’t know – and he responded with, ‘No, and if the baby is a girl, the train set is MINE!  I want a train set!’’

LOL!  Only been to choir once, and they already know me too well! 

Tonight, we attended a Youth Mass at our local Catholic Church.  Although we were a little too late to join in this time, we were invited back for next time to be a part of the band - we previously had joined in when we visited in September, and very much enjoyed it.  In fact, as everyone else was away or unable to make it, we WERE the band that time, and it took several days of work to purchase, print and transpose all the music, but we got there, and it all worked out well in the end.  Both Helena and I will be looking forward to next time, when we can play in church for the glory of God and get to know our new church family.

And all that in one week!  Who knows what next week will bring?

May God bless your day,

Linda.