With very mixed emotions, I'm finally posting Jason's final concert playing in the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO).
His involvement started back in 2020 when I was looking for a summer camp the boys could do to keep them busy in the weirdest summer of their lives. There were no sports camps, nothing with Parks & Rec, nothing. Then I saw an ad for the EYSO chamber music summer camp and they were sold. One solid week of playing and being among their peers after weeks and weeks of isolation as COVID raged -- it was great.
When summer camp ended, Jason auditioned to join the regular season of EYSO; this led to five years of incredible performances as Jason moved from the Prelude group to Sinfonia (2 years), Philharmonia, then the highest level, Youth Symphony. Four years of Chamber Music Institute. 23 amazing concerts.
For his final concert, Jason's group performed three pieces, linked below, just audio. The final piece, Turtle Dove, is the true tearjerker... it's the final piece the group plays at Fall Camp, and the final piece the Youth Symphony plays at the May concert. It's a song of farewell and it brought more than a few tears to my eyes. Maybe Jason's too.
Jason, I absolutely admire your musicality, showmanship, dedication, and pure love of music. You worked your tail off and successfully accomplished learning and performing pieces that caused you to hesitate at first glance. You plowed through hours and hours of practice at home and gave up your Sundays for five years to practice with your group. I will miss your home practices, hearing the music drift downstairs as I made dinner or throughout the house as I paid bills or lay in bed. What a gift you have!! Thank you for persisting and pushing forward through all that EYSO had to offer!! The final concerts every year on Mother's Day have been the very best gifts I could ask for!!!
Violin Concerto in D minor (Khachaturian)
No comments:
Post a Comment