The most exciting part of my 2008 summer… my daughter graduated from the fifth grade. Well they called it a recognition assembly which basically was many awards presented to the fifth grade class.

While I do not live vicariously through my daughter and her achievements I was beaming and near tears. Her love of music is apparent and when she accepted the Award for Excellence in Instrumental Music from her concert band instructor for exceptional dedication, commitment and performance on her band instrument, the baritone, I was so happy for her. And this, only two weeks after her baritone solo at the musical gala.

And not because I’m an unaccomplished musician…how my parents hated the clarinet. I love to listen to others play the clarinet now and wish I could have perfected the “ta” sound that my teacher kept insisting on. My father would be the first to attest that my squeaky clarinet playing was not glamorous at all. I wish I had made them suffer longer until I had become a great concert clarinetist, well maybe not.

I was more a strings girl and guitar was my thing. Before she was born actually I was taking lessons on the classical guitar…until playing the guitar was quite impossible. While I was pregnant perhaps she learned to count music as I played in the bell choir. Today though I have the pleasure of hearing her play music, the baritone any time of day or night…literally since quite often she remembers to practice right before bed and requests time to play then or early in the morning.

Trust me the baritone is not exactly like waking up to “Taps” but it is close. How talented is she, well she can play our favorite movie and TV shows by ear on the baritone. Elmo’s World and Jaws are definitely my personal favorites. Unlike my parents, I think I'm blessed with no suffering, as her award attests to.

As we watched part of the school’s concert in the park a few weeks back, actually the high school gymnasium decorated like a park concert, I enjoyed some time with her before she went on with the elementary concert band. We both thoroughly were getting jazzed by the jazz band and their hip music when she leaned over to me and pointed at the cello and said that is the next instrument she is considering taking on. I pictured her trying to get on the bus with a baritone in one hand and a cello in another. That is just the way moms think. The more I thought about it I shook my head in confirmation that I believed she could.

Whether I believe I influenced her from the cradle or whether she is just naturally good at something or not, the important thing is I support her. Music is a wonderful way to support our children. There are more music programs at the elementary level than ever before. They encourage confidence and studies show how students who play instruments do better in other disciplines.

Inquire about music programs available at your child’s school and encourage her to consider an instrument.