Great tribute! Dad needs to take his share of the credit, too! :-)
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
On 5/20/2016 10:23 AM, Ken Norton wrote:
No pictures, no OM content, just sharing.
Last night, Dear Daughter #2 had her final high school band concert.
It's an annual "parade of bands" thing that many school districts do
right before graduation. Before the final song, the band director
gives a special recognition to each graduating senior and spends a
minute talking about them and the relationship that has built through
the years. This band director has been here for 26 years and is
absolutely one of the top educators I've ever encountered. He's one of
those that takes pride in "his kids". Band is family.
Kenzie has been involved in everything (marching band, concert band,
jazz band, drumline, regional and state invitation-only bands, solo
and ensemble..) and was first-chair French Horn. In Jazz she was the
pianist.
There are two awards given, which are voted on by the band itself.
Last year, Allie got one (she was first chair clarinet and played bass
in jazz) of the awards, this year, Kenzie got the other. Both awards
are very special recognition and are essentially given to the person
who is the "face" or the "soul" of the band. So, that obviously is
wonderful recognition--especially as it is given by their peers. They
also come with scholorship opportunities too.
We've seen this last-night concert thing played out five times before,
so we knew what to expect, as he reaches deep from the gut and talks
about each one as though they were his own children. It's a "no dry
eye" moment, for sure. He takes his time and doesn't rush it.
When he got to Kenzie, he talked about her being the friend to
everybody and for her work ethic (lead by example) and confidence
which affected the whole band and "counselor" to many. All true and as
a couple of you know, there is much more behind that than the public
will ever be made aware of. Both daughters were solely responsible for
stopping a felony crime ring that because the perps and victims were
minors, was never made public. That "counselor" thing has far deeper
meaning than can ever be imagined.
He talked about her as his piano player for jazz. He has repeatably
said to us for the past four years how she is the best piano player
he's ever had in his 26 years there. This band program is among the
very very best in all of Iowa, and that's saying something and she's
participated in multiple "invitationals". He gave specifics and
indicated in no uncertain terms that she can immediately become a
professional musician if that's what she chooses to do. (and she
already has contacts within the music industry). She has been his star
student all through high school.
While I don't disagree with his assessment, four years of university
will follow and she's very much wanting to be an educator, not a
musician. But I think part of that is self-confidence. Both daughters
want to move and live outside of the country and she thinks that being
an educator is a more logical and "safe" career choice. We'll see what
opportunities come her way at university.
She got it all from her mother.
AG Schnozz
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