The Bass

See that giant instrument those guys are playing???  Well, I just filled out a contract with Dallas Strings to rent one for Spell Girl.  In a week, we'll have one in our home!  Spell Girl has been in the orchestra for 4 years, and over the summer, she felt like it might be time for a change.  Not a drastic change, she said.  She just wanted to diversify a little.  Maybe try the cello or the viola.  Two days after school started, she came home saying that her Orchestra teacher was heavily recruiting kids to switch to the bass because they had very few of them in any of the classes.  Spell Girl is a helper, so of course, she was immediately willing to consider it.  But I also think she was kind of excited to try something new...at least I hope so, because this thing is a big commitment.  


I thought all stringed things were created equal, but apparently that's not the case.  The rosin is different.  The strings are different.  The bow hold is different.  She has to stand with her foot up on a stool just to balance the thing because it's taller than she is!  There will be a bit of an adjustment for awhile, for sure.  But she's so excited about the new adventure!


This morning on the way to school, she gave me a list of reasons why this will be the best decision she's ever made in all of her 12 years...

1. I don't have to carry my violin to school anymore!
2. I don't have to go to the orchestra room before school to put my instrument away, so I'll always be on time to Language Arts (first period).
3. I will always have a place to stand for concerts.  (um...we may not be able to see her in a concert again because she'll be in the back row, but I'm glad she feels confident about having a spot.  I may have to invest in a larger lens for my camera.)
4. I can practice the music for TWO parts now if I want to.
5. It makes me more diverse if I can play more than one instrument, and that increases my chance to get into the high school orchestra.  (Apparently there are auditions for that one.)
6. My teacher (for private lessons) will have to come to the house because it's too hard to lug a bass to a lesson every week.  (OK, maybe that one is high on my list, too.)
7. I'm helping the Orchestra!

I'm so proud of her for wanting to jump outside the comfortable violin space she's had for so long.   She's nervous and cautious, but she can see that potential rewards of this adventure far outweigh the effort.  What a great example she is to the rest of us.