He became Famous!

Saturday we had plans to attend the Hip Hoppin' Nutcracker by the Houston Symphony.  This would be our early Xmas gift and I knew Zachary would be excited.  It was a surprise until we picked him up from school play practice.  As excited as he shows, he was all in for the trip.  And then I told him that they had asked him to meet the maestro and to conduct a song.  Again with the modest response, but a level of excitement known only by a mom.

I really had no idea what to expect.  The lady met us in the lobby and then took us all (me, John, my mom and step-dad, and Zachary) back stage.  He got to meet the conductor and visit with him a bit. He was quite cute, asking his favorite restaurant, and telling him that he had played oboe for six months.  The conductor said oboe was his instrument.  Zachary then asked, "Are you good?"  The conductor, Maestro Franz, chuckled and commented that he used to be.  They exchanged a few more questions and answers, and then Adam Dinitz (English horn) was passing by.  Zachary called out to him, and introducted my mom as "Granmommy".

Granmommy meeting Adam

Zack talking with the Maestro

Then we went out from Maestro Franz's room and he met other musicians, asked them to play a few things, and they did.  He also took a few pictures with the maestro and Adam. 

Not the best picture as another flash was going off.

And then the moment we've all been waiting for...the opportunity to conduct.  Now, I just want to tell you that I was nervous.  Zachary does not do as many unexpected things as he did a few years back, but with this, I just did not know.  To my amazement, he did great!  The cool part was as we were leaving, musicians and attendees recognized him, and said that he did a good job.  I'm not the best camera woman, especially when I'm trying to watch and video, but here we go...

http://youtu.be/vEfVIoQP3vI


He was funny when he got back to his seat.  He said something about thank you letters, and I figured he was asking to write one.  So, I hushed him so he wouldn't disturb those around us.  He had written a thank you note to Adam after he met him the first time.  So later he said, "the musicians will all send me thank you notes now since I conducted for them, right?!?" 

We've been published

Back in June, we went to a free Houston Symphony concert at a local church.  I sent a thank you afterwards because a young lady made a special efforts to bring a bassoon along for Zachary to be able to handle.  That simple letter has turned into many opportunities for Zachary, including going to shows with tickets received as gifts and getting to meet certain musicians.  We owe the young lady who has taken interest in Zachary.  And now, she has gone and printed the thank you letter plus other correspondences in the December Houston Symphony magazine.

I'll be the first to say I'm no writer, but they said they would make it sound real good and the picture would look good too.  I'm hear to tell you, they must have forgot to do both, but then it is not about me, is it?  You'll have to click on the picture to be able to read the article.

And he wonders why the dog growls at him!?!

We passed a billboard sign the other day that said, "A+ Obedience School," which happens to be the school Pete attended as a puppy.  Zack said, "We need to take Pete there so he will listen to me."  Zachary's attitude toward Pete is often changing.  He likes him when he sleeps in his bed or sits with him in the chair.  But as soon as Pete growls or runs from Zachary, which is most of their interactions, Zachary says, "we should get rid of him!"  Or, Zachary wants another dog so the second dog will like him and mind him.

On this day, I guess he was liking the dog.  I'm not sure Pete was liking Zachary.  This was over Fall Break, and I limited Zachary's electronic time.  I guess this was one of his alternate forms of entertainment.

Rice University

On Monday, we decided to take a little adventure in to town and "explore" (as Zachary put it) Rice University.  Let me say, what a beautiful campus!  The first question I expect running through many of your minds is, "what about A&M?"  I've long since realized my Aggie legacy will have to carried on through cousins, rather than my son.  Zachary's love for music prompted him to chose a school his band teacher rated as high for this area and then he found that several musicians from The Houston Symphony had attended Rice as well.  The second thought that might have already ran across your mind is the expense since it is a private university.  Well, I've been told by two separate musically talented adults the oboe often gets scholarships since not many play it.  So score for us if he gets a scholarship.  And last, we have 6 more years to figure out what he wants to do and where he wants to go.  There's no telling if he will change his mind.  He may be attending Houston Community College for all I know.

Fall "Sports" Banquet

They call it the Fall Sports Banquet, but I think it could be called the Fall Activity Banquet.  This pleasant dinner quickly honored the students that participated in football, volleyball, cheer, and band.  Zachary actually said he wanted to go, and it was a good experience for him as he has never been to a group dinner like this before. 

Anyway, he received his little certificate and his face said it all...{that's it!}.  Yep, that's all you get.  He wasn't impressed, except with the rolls and brownies. 

 

 

Marching band, small school style

This is the bands first year to march on the field.  I could not begin to imagine what they would do having come from a 5A school and Texas A&M, especially with only 31 members and about 80% of them were Jr. High students.  Many are just learning their instruments so to add marching to it, you would expect a possible disaster. 

Well, here is what we got...

CLCS Eagle Marching Band

I guess you have to start somewhere, and I know Mr. Hernandez was proud of their hard work.  Later in the season, we got a percussion circle in the middle and they marched in pairs around them.  Good memories are being made.

Possible disappointment

I found this the other day on Zachary's desk.  He wants an English Horn, and the cheapest he has found on eBay is for about $3,000.  He said, I'll just ask for it for Christmas.  When I told him people do not normally buy gifts that expensive, I guess he decided on this plan B.  It's the last item, in between the marked out items.  I think he may be a little disappointed when he doesn't get the 5G's he's hoping for.