Kids' music interests

I posted about Drake composing, but I realized also that maybe some of you aren't up to date on what the kids are doing in general in their music. It does tend to change a bit.

Drake played saxophone for two years in upper elementary school but wasn't really happy with it. And I swear I am not one of those parents that thinks my kids need to be classified as advanced or are obvious musical prodigies (that is one of the reasons that I accepted his one teacher's word for not classifying him in fourth grade. It seemed a bit strange since it wasn't consistent with his history, but I took her word for it fairly easily. Turns out I shouldn't have, and I posted about it on my other blog).

And in the case of Drake and music, I was interested to see whether any of my interest in music would reflect in my kids, and for a while I thought it wasn't. I could tell by his singing that he had a pretty good ear, but it just seemed that in band he wasn't taking off. And that was fine with me at least if it was fine with him.

But turns out I should have known that the circumstances were not exactly letting him shine. In about a month after he switched to trumpet this year he had surpassed what he had learned on the saxophone, and is motivated enough to even practice, which might have been the problem.

Archer and Chase have shown music interest a bit earlier. It was hilarious when at about three they had memorized the libretta to Les Mis. So of course I am encouraging their singing, which surely ends up more profitable for boys than girls--so many fewer of them want to sing than girls. They both auditioned for and got solos in their choir last year. And in this case (fourth grade being the oldest) they are ALL sopranos, so they WERE competing head to head with all the girls! Things will be even easier for them when they can be lower parts. They might be waiting a long time, but...

Archer, consistent with his devil-may-care confidence level, has chosen flute as his instrument in band. I told him that it tends to be a girly instrument and that there are often tons of them, making it hard to be first chair or anything. But he was unfazed. I should maybe consider it a compliment that he wanted to play flute because I do. And Archer may have his gender to advantage even in fluting. I remember that though there were rows and rows of girls playing the flute in band when I was a kid, it was usually a boy that was first chair in the state. Anything physiological gives the edge to men, I am afraid. Even if in the case of playing the flute men only enjoy perhaps finger dexterity/strength and breathing capacity--it does give an edge.

Chase has switched to viola and is continuing to make slow steady progress, consistent with his personality (and like his dad). The other two boys tend to follow bursts of their inspiration to accomplish things (like their mom), but Chase is slow and steady. And because that is what usually wins the race, it is probably fine.

Sadie was the only first grader that was invited to be in her school choir this year, so though girls' competition for singing opportunities are quite cutthroat, there is always room at the top, and Sadie might just wind up there, who knows. She tends to be so dang lovable that people want to let her do things that the rest of us have to scratch and claw our way into.

Overall, the kids like music. We are working on some songs to post on youtube so that all of you can enjoy with us the fun that can come from just enjoying it as a family.