"Mozart has the classic purity of light and the blue ocean; Beethoven the romantic grandeur which belongs to the storms of air and sea, and while the soul of Mozart seems to dwell on the ethereal peaks of Olympus, that of Beethoven climbs shuddering the storm-beaten sides of a Sinai. Blessed be they both! Each represents a moment of the ideal life, each does us good. Our love is due to both." - Henri Frederic Amiel (1821-1881)
Music has been a part of our family's lives since before I was born, and this morning was no exception. Jordan auditioned for the Kansas City Metro All-District Choir at Park Hill South High School, and his audition was at 8:42AM. I remember the nervousness that I went through for All-State Choir Auditions in the falls of 1973, '74 and '75 (our Auditions were as quartets, and Missouri's are as soloists), and the butterflies came back for me as well as I watched him nervously pace up and down the floor of a deserted hallway, while practicing his tonal qualities and the German lyrics of his musical selection.
None of us will know how he did until Monday (he had a sight reading test directly after his solo, which is the other half of his audition), but the experience was a valuable one for him. Whether he is chosen or not is not the concern here; the mere fact that he competed and did his best is what really matters. Today was another lesson in life, and I hope that it is one he never forgets. I know I remember all three of my auditions for the elite All-State Iowa Choir, having finally made it in my Senior Year in fall '75 (in fact, our entire quartet made it: Priscilla Hogan, Deb King, Eric Sickler and me). I hope that Jordan is able to achieve his dream before his High School years are over, as he'll have another opportunity next year. To be able to audition for the All-State Choir, you must be chosen for the All-District Choir first, then audition again in mid-November. It's a completely different process than it is in Iowa, and truthfully - about 6 times as difficult to make because of the 3 large Metro Areas that our State has within our borders (St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City - not to mention St. Joseph, Joplin and Jefferson City). Both Chris Droegemueller (Greenfield, Iowa HS Class of '91, Jordan's Vocal Music Director and a fellow Alumni member of the Iowa All-State Choir - as a Senior in fall '90) and I agree. Neither one of us have seen a process such as this.
Jordan, either way - I am very proud of you, and regardless of the outcome, you have a gorgeous Bass voice. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; I do believe I know what I'm talking about!
BTW: Happy Birthday to my big brother Jeffrey Dennis (Jedd - b. 1955), my sister-in-law Melinda Mitchell Gearhart (b. 1971), and lifelong friends (since Elementary School in Corning, Iowa) Bill Boswell and Randy Gillet (both born in 1957)! You four deserve a great day; I love the 4 of you very much (Jedd and Melinda: family members, and Bill and Randy: two of my very best friends growing up)!
Think about it . . .
Yogi: 10/2/2010 7:52PM CDT
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