Last night I got out my horn to practice for tonight’s rehearsal. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I hadn’t practiced at all in the two weeks since the last rehearsal. In fact, I hadn’t really played at home at all since…springtime? Maybe? Practicing is not my forté.
Anyway. Carrie was fascinated by the horn, and kept sticking her face up into the bell and saying “Hi Mommy!” into it. Finally she announced “Mine turn!” and tried to grab the horn away from me. So I showed her how to buzz her lips against the mouthpiece. Then I put the mouthpiece back into the horn and held it up to her mouth. And she buzzed perfectly and made a really nice sounding tone come out of it! She did it several other times in between playing with her toys, so it wasn’t an accident.
I wish they made kid-sized horns like they have kid-sized violins. I’d be totally willing to indulge her interest in the horn if it weren’t a) much too big for her to hold and b) much too expensive for me to replace now that we only have one income. I wonder if they still even start kids on the horn in fourth grade anymore?