Among my favorite community events are school music concerts. The arc of musicianship is breathtaking.
The fifth graders have to learn everything about their instrument — how to hold it, how to breathe into it, how the keys or valves or mallets work — that alone is a challenge. But then they also have to learn how to read music. The clefs and notes and rests and time signatures and sharps and flats and tempos and repeats are a completely different language.
As they practice, the random squeaks and blarts can be so frustrating. When, they must wonder, will I get good?
I am so impressed by their tenacity and patience. Because they keep at it, the leap of musicality between the fifth grade band and the middle school band is nothing short of astounding. By the time they progress to high school, there is real assurance and pride in their performance. It is a joy to watch and listen.
As adults, once we have learned something, we often forget how challenging it was to get good at it. Or even more true, if we try something and aren’t very good at it right away, we give up on it. Our young musicians are exceptional models for our own continued growth as adults.
Too often, we want to be good at a new skill NOW, and if we’re not, we throw our hands up and walk away. Children are more willing to not be perfect and to make an actual mess of something on the way to deeper learning.
Children look to teachers for guidance and encouragement. They see the examples of those who have been practicing and playing for one or more years as inspiration to keep at it.
None of us are good when we begin something new, whether it’s bridge or French or longline fishing or prayer. But if we are open to the help of those more experienced, and our own willingness to be less than perfect, we too can learn new things — and make a beautiful noise.
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