The Joys of Christmas Concerts

Does your child sing in the choir at school? Well mine does and so yesterday we went to the annual CVCA Christmas Choir Concert........ it wasn't as bad as it sounds trust me. One of the perks if you will of having a child who attends a college preparatory private school (my I sound snooty) is that, well, they expect a lot of their students. They expect a lot academically and they expect a lot in whatever the extracuricular activites are that the kids participate in. It is all a part of the package and you know that going in. That doesn't always guarantee great choir concert performances but it helps.

So last night was the annual Christmas concert (as I have already said in that paragraph up there) and so we trekked down to the school in the blinding snow storm, I mean the gentle snow fall. As the parents of a senior we didn't really need to be there until almost 8p. They don't require you to stay for the performance of the Jr. High groups but we always go for the whole concert. It only seems fair and we always enjoy all the groups. I especially like to see the Jr. High choir. It is always fun to see these kids, so ackwardly inhabiting their bodies, singing loudly and remarkably in tune. I love to watch Jr. High boys sing. I know that they are singing because there is harmony in the music but you can't tell how that is possible because most of them barely have their mouths moving. Of course that isn't the case with all the boys, some are really singing out and that is hillarious to watch as well. So much enthusiasm.

Another great thing is to see what these kids wear. The Jr. High choir is the only one of the four choirs that doesn't wear either a standard uniform or robes. There are all sorts of outfits from neat but casual to dressy. You just never know. And the shoes! Everything from flats to dress shoes to clogs to high heels. The only thing that you won't see in tennis shoes which are never in code. I really love the 7th grade boys who are dressed in suits.

I love looking at all the faces of parents and extended family members as the concert is in progress. Beaming parents and "grands", little kids squirming in their seats, older siblings looking bored and the occasional kid doing homework. I will have to say that there was the occasional dad or teenage sibling who I saw not looking at the concert but doing something with their cell phone or iphone. Hmmmmmmmmmm. And the cameras! I saw everything from high end SLR's (I will admit to bringing mine to more than one concert) to phone cameras all snapping away. It is like being in front of the Mona Lisa when a group of Japanese tourists comes by.

The Sr. High part of the concert was great as well, don't get me wrong and I was there to see my Senior daughter sing but it is the Jr. High portion of the program that was the most fun to watch, perhaps not to listen to but to watch. It was bitter sweet because this will be our last Christmas Choir Concert since our youngest will graduate come June. Ah the memories that we will just have to live on in the years to come because you know I am not going to come back for another one of these.