At this time of year music plays a great part in our waking hours. For some lucky people, perhaps it even plays in their dreams! Everywhere we go, most radio stations, television shows, in stores, on street corners, malls, Christmas music rings out. For high school age kids, despite all the many hobbies, pastimes, sports, clubs etc. connected to these four busy, often stressful teenage years, those who get involved with music, be it orchestra, acting in musical productions, or using those young voices to sing in choirs and choruses..........music in all its forms makes great things happen around the holiday season!
Click to enlarge
Our granddaughter Jasmin is a singer, a first soprano in her high school choir, comprising of about 45 wonderful kids this year. She's now a junior and has been singing since her freshman year. She also takes private voice lessons with a professional soprano and it's obvious these have helped both her voice, her knowledge of music theory, and given her more confidence singing solo parts.
This week a local radio station had a great competition for local schools. Each choir recorded a Christmas song. They played them on the radio, three each day, and any and all could vote. The three finalists, announced yesterday, included Jasmin's high school singing a beautiful unaccompanied rendition of the traditional carol, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.
This morning, my alarm buzzed, my ear was glued to the radio, and at 7:15 the glorious news was that our school won first place and the $5,000 prize for their music department!
I'm thrilled for the kids and especially for their amazing music director, Marshall Butler, a wonderful caring teacher, and true gentleman, who puts his heart and soul into training these lovely young voices, and enables them to embrace the power of music, not just for their high school years, but forever.
Our congratulations to
Sanderson High School 'Sandpipers'.
We are so proud of you today.
.png)
How wonderful Mary, you are right to be so proud. Singing is a wonderful art, one I too enjoyed very much when I was younger. I sang with several well known choirs and it it wonderful at Christmas to see peoples faces when we sang some of the well known carols at the annual carol service iin the town hall.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was nursing we toured the wards on Christmas Eve in our long cloaks turned red side out with the traditional lanterns to sing for the the patients who were too ill to go home. I also sang in our church choir for many years. We also went round to various peoples houses, people put in a request for us to visit and we included our local retirement home, ending up singing for our supper outside the manse. Those days are long gone but are memories I cherish.
Wow!! Congratulations to them!! Well done! Jasmin looks so beautiful! I hope to get a chance to hear singing sometime. Missing you all already! Love ~ Vanessa
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful for your granddaughter's choir and school to win that prize. Jasmin is such a beautiful girl. It's great that her school has such a wonderful music department and teacher. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful Mary! One of my nieces was in choir and they traveled all over the world one summer singing in some amazing concert halls. It is a memory she will have forever.
ReplyDeleteWhat an achievement!!!
ReplyDeleteYou'll be over the moon - clever granny to have such a talented granddaughter - it must be the genes!!!
How wonderful that Jasmin loves singing and is being voice trained!
The world is her oyster.
Congratulations to the Sandpipers! How special for your granddaughter (and you). Music is something that enriches life immensely. I'm always sad when I hear about music programs being cut from schools.
ReplyDeleteYour Jasmine brings you such joy. Singing in a choir certainly is more than making a sound. Much more. That radio station did a great thing for the community at this time of year. An uplifting event that brought honour where it was deserved and joy where it was needed.
ReplyDeleteMy choir did Handel's Messiah last weekend. This week it was a carols performance at a big Christmas party for a local charity. Next week we entertain four times at the biggest shopping centre in the city. Then we do the hospitals and the hospice.
Funny. My husband taught at a Sanderson High School. My son attended a Sanderson High School. Not yours of course. Far, far away.
Dear Mary - what wonderful news, and how proud both you and your husband must be feeling for your beautiful granddaughter and her fellow members of the choir at her school.
ReplyDeleteMusic, and especially singing is one of the things that brings most happiness and fulfilment to a person, and Jasmine will now takes this gift with her through her life.
What an amazing award - such talented young people. Those who share their talents are such a blessing.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to them! How exciting! And your granddaughter looks like a beautiful young lady.
ReplyDelete