Band Camp 2008 and the summer hecticness continues....(is that a word?!?)

Our middle DS has been attending band camp this week. This is his second year in attendance and he commutes everyday, so it puts a strain and a drain on our time and gas budget, but it is well worth it. His dad has been a huge trooper and has willingly been doing the commute daily... They leave the house at 7:30am and arrive back at 6:30pm. Yesterday was a longer day and they didn't get back home until 9:30pm.

But our son loves it!!! He is thrilled by the challenge of playing his saxophone and learns so much. He was thrilled to be selected for performing in the High School concert band and feels that he achieved a good position because he is competing against kids who have had private tutors for several years and attend 4A and 5A schools. There are 5 bands that they try out for, 1st Honors, 2nd Symphonic, 3rd Concert, 4th Burgundy, 5th White.

So my son and husband have been getting in some good bonding time together. My husband is a really big trooper because he has predominately been spending his vacation time, just being a driver for our family. Next week he will going out of town on one day for a trip to UTPB to meet with his professors in Odessa, plus one more week of band camp, I don't see how he does it?!? My DH says he is honored to be our son's chaperon and participate and contribute to something that our son loves so much....gotta love him....

The featured guest performer at the band camp this year is a world renowned saxophone player, so our son says he is being very humbled by how much more there is to accomplish in his playing...

We are determined to try once again to find a private tutor for our son. We need to find someone who he can see on a regular basis and who will challenge our son to expand his skills. Our son wants the challenge. He has missed getting placed in state band for the past two years even though he has advanced to Area both years and it is a personal goal of his to achieve state band. It is our understanding that a private instructor will make the difference in his playing level and reaching to new heights in his skills. We have been frustrated with our inability to line anyone up thus far, even after pleading with his band directors, other local band directors and the head band director at WTAMU (who is an accomplished sax player himself). But I am challenged and he wants it, so I will be on a quest...