Alumni Band Night

Tonight is alumni band night at the local football game. Since I left the high school, the district had to add another high school, and somebody over there had the brilliant idea that when the two high schools played each other in football, they'd invite alumni to play the two school songs and the national anthem. So I hauled out my trumpet the other day for the first time in something like 4 years.

I've played a couple times since high school, in fact, for a couple months during the year after high school I was in a local trumpet group that played at a couple churches. And once I played in a BIG Easter celebration at our church. However, it's been years since I played for longer than just the B flat scale to see if I could still remember it.

Prince Charming was a drummer in high school and played bass drum in marching band so he's going to play tonight too, and my brother-in-law played snare so he's going to play too! This should be a good time!

I've played a couple of times through the national anthem, but I can't make my brain match up the school song tune that I have in my head with the music that is on the page I printed off. I play by ear (mostly), which for me means I can play a piece of music once I know what the tune is supposed to sound like. So, play me the tune while I'm looking at the sheet of music once or twice and I'll be able to play it fairly well after that. But I can't just look at a sheet of music and know what it's supposed to sound like. I know, after 6 years of music education, you'd think I'd be able to do that, but I can't.

I'm hoping the girls will be able to go to the game to watch us play, but when your babysitters do the babysitting for free, you can't be too choosy! My in-laws are watching the girls and they might not be able to take them all out there. So next year we'll try to make the plans more in advance and get them to the game to see us. We'll have a better idea of what's going on, too. I don't even know for sure if my hubby and I will be able to stay for the game. It'll be pretty packed (Being a "home" game for both teams, and all). Actually, if they don't go, we can use the money I set aside for their tickets in to the game for a nice dessert for hubby and I. So if they can come, that would be really fun, but if they can't, we get a mini-date night! So that's cool too. :)

All I know is, I just LOVED marching band in high school, and I can't wait for this chance to experience it again. Very nostalgic.