Utah Youth

Did I already tell you about Araceli and Freestone going to Utah Youth Junior rehearsals?  Probably, because I was so looking forward to it.  Araceli is practicing more and trying to progress quickly on cello.  She sometimes has to practice late at night because ballet ends at 9:45, and some days she really hasn't been home before that either, or if she was, she was taking care of kids and doing homework.  So sometimes it's 10:30 and she gets tired and comes in my room and gazes at me like a sad little dog.  Then I give her a pep talk and/or drag myself into her room and help her with her pieces.

To me, orchestra is the reward for all that practicing.  I wish I could be playing with the kids, but it's fun to just be there with them.  This was their first rehearsal with UYJSO.  Araceli auditioned back in the spring, did poorly, and got placed in this sort of starter orchestra.  It's good, though, because they do a ton of sightreading.  It's like boot camp for symphony life.  Freestone auditioned after the first rehearsal.  What he really wanted to do was throw the audition, but he didn't have it in him to blow it.  So he got in, much to his dismay.  I decided to have him wait a year, though, because the repertoire they were doing was way over his head.  I know it was sightreading, and if he really loved it, I would encourage him to stay in, but he kinda doesn't love it, so I'll wait a year, hoping it will be more enjoyable once he has a year of school orchestra experience under his belt.

These are the best kids.  Scott and I are so lucky to have them.

There's a ballet studio next to the rehearsal room, and it has a fireplace.  How cozy would that be to have a blazing fire next to you in class?  Anyway, I took Araceli to rehearsal this morning for the 2nd time, and it was a rainy, beautiful fall day.  I strolled around the area, 13th East and 3rd South, and then sat in my car and listened to General Conference.  It was exhilarating to be in the city on a Saturday morning, and cozy to listen to meaningful words of counsel.  Man, there just aren't any drawbacks to this orchestra thing, are there?  ;)