I passed some joker yesterday busking "Summertime" on a tuba. What could be more appropriate for this subtle, lilting, sultry number than a tuba?This made me remember my childhood foray into the Euphonium. Have you ever met a Euphoniumist? But always wanted to? Your dreams have now been fulfilled.
I don't remember how I ended up getting stuck with this silly looking wannabe tuba thing. Maybe I got in too late, and that was the only instrument left. I'd have to lug it to school, and it was about two thirds the size of me. No, I didn't get teased at all.
I was pretty bad at it, but I remember my one crowning moment. It was the end of year concert. I was playing in the school band, and had a big number in which to prove my skills. The song consisted of about three pages of music, and I'd highlighted the only four notes that I had in the whole song.
Somehow I got sidetracked as I waited for my notes to come along, looking out with swelling pride at the big audience, and maybe missed the first two. But, oh, those final two notes? Nailed 'em.
It's sad in a way. Had I persisted I could have aspired to this, and been able to wear this. Not to be, not to be.
3 comments:
Say, you could still wear the tshirt. Only the third example actually claims to be any good.
I remember those day well Ben. You were about 8 or 9 and it was about the same time as the Boys Brigade and the mini Rugby. I think you may have been inspired by those Golden Books with the accompanying "Beep turn the page" cassettes. There was Chicken Little, The Little Red Caboose, Silly Sidney and last but not least "The Little boy with the Big Horn". I think it was on Groote and you were abou 6 or 7. A little boy called Ollie was learning to play the big brother of the Euphonium the Tuba and got lots of complaints about noise pollution from his neighbours UNTIL 1 day a ship was in danger of crashing onto the rocks and Ollie warned them and became a hero.
You've got a point, Tracy!
Dad, yeah I LOVED that book. I managed recently to find a copy of it.
'Many brave hearts are asleep in the deeeep..'
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