Orchestra

My peeps and I went to the Orchestra production at the local college last night. I had the best time! They played quite a few songs that I recognized, but my FAVORITE was "Sleigh Ride". It reminded me so much of that cute scene in the movie, Mr. Krueger's Christmas, where Jimmy Stewart's character dreamt that he was conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Seeing the orchestra reminded me of the fun times I had playing the cello in high school. I had the BEST orchestra teacher... Mr. Minnick. He had great taste in music, too. The songs he chose were always so much fun to play.

I've also been reminiscing about the days when I played in the Utah Youth Symphony. My high school in Tooele did not have an orchestra when we moved there during my junior year, and frankly, I floundered. When I had the opportunity to play for the UYS I thought I had died and gone to Heaven.

I used to travel from Tooele County to Salt Lake once a week for practice with a girl from Grantsville. I honestly can't believe that my mom let me drive that stretch of road alone a few times (she was always VERY protective). One Saturday, I got to Salt Lake just as the snow started to fall. I wasn't very experienced with driving in the snow (we didn't get it very much in Texas) and as I started to drive one of the steep roads that went up to the college, my rear-wheel drive Chevette started to slip and slide. I got so nervous that I turned around and went back home; completely missed the practice that day.

I really miss playing my cello. I miss being in a group; working toward the common goal of creating a masterpiece. Playing solo was never my dream, so I don't play very often these days... Maybe next year I should set a goal to practice so I can volunteer to play in the community production of The Messiah -- to relive a piece of my youth.