Sunday Concert

We went up to the local Arts Centre this afternoon to catch a jazz concert put on by the local university's jazz ensemble. The kids sat through all two hours of it - beautiful music, but a long silence for elementary-aged children. My 5-year-old spent a full 5 minutes standing on his head towards the end of the concert, much to the amusement of the trumpet player who spotted him at the back of the room.

The good thing about these kinds of local events is that the kids were able to talk to the musicians afterward. Since Dave and I both attended the university briefly about a decade ago, we're familiar with some of the profs and with the School of Music. Since I was comfortable talking to the group, the kids were as well.

Because the concert was in a small setting, with a small audience, it was more informal. It felt very interactive and personal, and we could see the musicians interacting with each other as they improv'd. It was like getting to sit in on a jam session, but one without interruptions to argue technical points or redo sections of the songs. :~)