RIP Viola

5 years ago, Maddy picked up her 1st viola and learned how to play. She was a little uncertain at first but quickly got into the groove of music (like she always does) and she was off and running. We went to the parent meetings where the orchestra director said "Brace yourself for some interesting sounds to come out of your child's bedroom for the next couple of weeks." I remember thinking - So this is what my parents had to endure when I first picked up the trumpet.  Dan had played the violin when he was Maddy's age and we were both excited to see his daughter follow in our musical footsteps (we both picked out different instruments for her to play though in our minds haha)

Last night, she played her last evening concert. 

Back at the beginning of this school year, Maddy really started dragging her feet about practicing her viola after school 4 days a week. You could tell that she was slowly losing her love for the instrument. We (and her orchestra teacher) thought it was a real shame! Nevertheless, to think that Maddy would play the viola until the day that she died would be an unrealistic expectation. We sat down and compromised that she needed to finish the year out and then she could quit. This would allow her to do other things in high school like band, chorus, and still have room in her schedule to begin taking classes for animal care to begin her education for her adult career.

Fast forward, 8 months and you come to last night - her Spring Orchestra Concert - the MAIN event! We got her a small bonquet of flowers to commenerate the occasion and realized the evening was just a little bittersweet.

What made the evening double bittersweet? On the way to the concert we went to go pick up Maddy's boyfriend, Gabe, to bring him along to the show. OH MY! Our daughter has a boyfriend who she wants us to meet?!?! Our daughter's boyfriend is excited to meet us and sit next to us for an hour and a half listening to his girlfriend's concert?!?!
Turns out Gabe is a great kid and he is welcome to sit in betwen Dan and I at one of Maddy's events anytime (oh that's right - we made a Gabe "sandwich" and stuck him right in between us for the whole evening)

"Don't Stop Believin"

"Jazzy Little Brown Jug"

The kids all sounded great!

Afterwards, Gabe got to meet more of our family on Dan's side: Grampy, Uncle Aaron, Aunt Amanda,

Gabe & Ben

(meeting Maddy's cousin Gabe was priceless!)

Amanda tells Gabe to go introduce himself to Maddy's boyfriend and it goes a lil sumfin like this

"Hi, I'm Gabe" says Gabe (Maddy's 7 yr old cousin)

"Hi, I'm Gabe" says Gabe (Maddy's boyfriend)

to which Maddy's cousin Gabe gets this look of utter astonishment on his face!!!

haha, see priceless...

 

So, if anyone is in need of a viola, we have one for sale if you are interested. We only owe a little over $200 on it. Take it off of our hands by the end of the month and it is yours for that LOW LOW price $$ And trust me, if your children are musical, you know only too well what the going price for instruments is these days :-( We have always had to go the "paying rent" route with Maddy's viola because string instruments need to be traded in as your child grows to fit them. "Paying Rent" on Maddy's viola for the past 5 years has cost us over $1,300. That is right! I am totally not "blowing sunshine up your pants" (that is the nice way to put it at least). So, we would really love it if we could find a family that is interested in buying Maddy's current viola so at least some good can come out of this "rent" Let us know.....

Aaaannd last, but not least, I totally had to include this piece of music from the concert last night. It is not my daughter playing, but four 6th graders. They are planning on playing this song at their school's talent show. I know that even though I didnt give you the title, any true gamer should be able to immediately name this song (don't let me down!)