Picking YaYa up at International Music Camp

You’ll just have to forgive the Mama bragging that is about to follow.  I’m just warning you in advance.

YaYa spent two weeks this year at music camp.  She’s been waiting all year to go back again, and was so excited to be going two weeks instead of one this summer.  I suspected she’d have a terrific time again this year, and that was exactly the truth.  The first week was wonderful, and the second week was absolutely magnificent.  During the first week she was first chair oboe in the middle school band, but during the second week they placed her first chair oboe in the high school band.  Both conductors were great, but the second one was amazing.  Because she was first chair, she was also selected to be in chamber ensembles both weeks, and even better, the second week she was selected for the International Wind Ensemble, which is an honor band where only one person plays each part in the ensemble.  It’s a BIG DEAL, and a fantastic ensemble experience.  (One that I always wanted, but never managed to quite sneak into when I was a camper there).  At the end of the week she received an outstanding camper award, (another really big deal, and an award only given to just a couple of campers each session, and this is actually the second time she’s received that award).  She learned how to make oboe reeds, and even took apart her oboe and put it back together again with assistance from her oboe teacher, who happened to be a woodwind instrument repair person. Every summer she learns so much there.

Obviously, I’m a beaming proud parent.

And can I just say that her concert was outstanding?  Both the International Wind Ensemble and the International Youth Band played with phenomenal control and balance and cohesiveness.  I enjoyed every second.

The best part of the whole day, though, was seeing this girl so very happy, so very in her element, and so filled up to the brim with new friendships, new skills.  She truly loves every part of being there.  I’m pretty much convinced it’s worth every penny of the tuition.  I love that she has special music camp friends.  I met so many amazing people there, and those friendships are still dear to my heart.

It’s a magical place, that music camp, and It makes me so happy that she loves it just as much as I did when I was a camper there.  I think you can just see the joy in these images.

The stage above is the International Wind Ensemble getting ready to play. 

These are some of her closest friends. There were kids from all over at music camp her second week, from all over Canada, Norway, Wisconsin, Florida, Nebraska, and lots of other places too.  

YaYa just couldn’t QUITE master the sassy pose.
She already has plans to go back next year.  I don’t relish the LONG drive back home from the Peace Gardens, but it’s totally worth it.