Today I’m thankful to all the music teachers who bring music to life for their students. Whether it’s a private lesson or through school, these teachers make a difference. Last night I attended an Evening of Jazz which was held at the middle school but included the jazz bands for both the middle school and the high school as well as a singing group. These kids played their hearts out and earned themselves a standing ovation and pleas for an encore! They scrambled a bit to figure out what they could play as their encore performance and then pulled it off like they had practiced it for hours before hand…including a solo.

My kids love their music lessons and their teachers even more. Learning to play an instrument or learning how to use your voice to its fullest potential is hard work for both student and teacher. It takes dedication and patience. It’s even more of a beautiful thing when the student really wants to learn and is motivated and when that teacher can see that, harness it and make work seem like play. It can not be easy.

My kids participate in a music show at the end of June. They work all year on various songs and instruments and within musical groups as well as on their own and the show is fabulous. The one thing that strikes me every year after this show is how each of those students were allowed to choose what they wanted to do and the music teachers made it happen. I love that the music teachers are willing to work with them as if they were adults and really help mold them by guidance and example into the musicians that they are. The sky is the limit (within reason, of course) and I think the investment of time and effort on both parts is evident to all who see and hear these kids play.

To the music teachers in our lives in particular Lynne Barton, Sarah Hetman, Ray Ponte and Sheri Fernandes, I am thankful for what you bring to my child’s musical life every day. Thank you.

What are you thankful for today?