HONORS BAND!

Corrina auditioned for the diocesan honors band yesterday )(does she look nervous in this picture? She's just about to head back without me).  When she asked her band teacher today if she got in, he said... "ABSOLUTELY!"  Corrina made 5th saxophone (out of 10), meaning she's the 5th best saxophone player of all the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in the diocese who auditioned!  We knew the girl had talent!   Good enough to make it despite the multiple mis-steps along the way:

Two days before the audition, Corrina said, "oh Mom, by the way, my sax is broken and I can't play this note in the audition piece."  Great. After examining her sax and watching countless youtube videos on saxophone cork bumper repair (lovely) I still had no understanding of what needed to be done!  But finally I managed to figure out I could use a tiny piece of bandaid to raise the bumper to the correct height. Phew!  The night of the audition I had Corrina eat dinner before leaving - and OF COURSE she burned her tongue on some steaming hot lemon chicken straight from the crockpot. I didn't know it was significant until she explained that sax playing involves some sort of "tonguing" that uses the tip of the tongue, but apparently she knows how to fake it!  Finally, while Corrina was waiting to go into the audition she noticed for the first time the writing at the top of the audition piece that said: "Also practice the following scales", including a scale she had never played before.  So she quickly asked another sax player what notes made up the scale. That was indeed the one she was asked to play, and apparently managed to play it well enough without ever practicing it! Her quick thinking paid off!

Corrina had another achievement this month: She was selected 6th grade Student of the Month. Here's what they said when she went up for the award:

Corrina is chosen for her great sense of responsibility in all areas.  She has made a commitment to maintaining her regular classroom studies and assignments while attending gifted classes on Mondays. Corrina is very responsible about collecting and completing her work at the end of the day when she returns to school. Corrina demonstrates the same responsible qualities when missing class time for band instruction. She takes her saxophone lessons seriously and contributes greatly to the school band performances. She does not even complain if she misses Art class! She comes back eager to complete a missed project on her own. We are proud of Corrina for all of her finely managed accomplishments. Congratulations!

Corrina, we are SO PROUD OF YOU!