The band, I should point out, is a group of kids from different schools in the county who come together once a week to rehearse. We have about 4 concerts a year as well as a residential course and other social events. I absolutely adore working with them. It's a system I went through myself and it hugely impacted on my life to the extent that all my closest friends were made in these bands and orchestras. I honestly believe that I wouldn't have gone into the music profession if it wasn't for the love and confidence I gained while being a member of these groups. The pay is a nice bonus really, it gives me much joy! If I make a difference to one young musicians life, I'll be happy.
So, off we went to The Netherlands. Being relaxed was not a state I'd experienced for a few months, so getting everyone settled into their rooms and having the initial glass of Heineken was a really great feeling. We'd finally arrived and all the hard work had come to fruition. The kids were all happy with their rooms and excited for the upcoming frivolities. Despite this being a musical tour, the concerts were probably the least important aspect of the tour. The real joy was seeing everyone interacting outside of rehearsals and in a relaxed environment.
Taking part in any extra-curricular activity is life-enhancing. It sounds quite dramatic, but I really believe it's true. Having a social life outside of school is important and essential for a lot of children who have few friends in that environment. I've seen amazing transformations when children whose talents are misunderstood or unsupported in school are put into a group of likeminded students. They become different people and really blossom and mature. This was certainly the case on our tour. To describe some of our students as popular would be an outright lie yet over the course of the week they really came out of their shells and developed important friendships. It's rather wonderful to witness.
By the end of the week, it felt like we'd become a real unit, including Andy the coach driver! We had a wonderful trip where the kids had made a real effort and all their little social groups had intertwined so everyone was getting to know everyone. Classic in-jokes have been established as is the way with any good tour and a great bond has developed between staff and students. A happy band is a successful band and other such cliches. But seriously, playing music with people who enjoy spending social time with is a great pleasure and will ultimately lead to a higher standard of performance.
Moaning about work, specifically moaning about working with children is something I do well and often. This week abroad has restored my faith in teenagers, education and my own personal career choices.
