Season 1, episode 19
Today’s story connects to episode 9. Perhaps you will remember “Miguel’s Little Lie”. Miguel wanted to go to a rock concert with his friend Wes, but, due to his lying, ended up going to a classical music concert with his mom and sister. Little did he know how much that concert would change his life. He thought rock music was the only sound worth listening to, but after hearing violins, flutes, trumpets, and tubas, he has a new appreciation for instruments. I hope you enjoy “Miguel’s Music.”
MIGUEL’S MUSIC
Miguel is a 12 year-old boy. He is usually honest, but one day he tells a lie to his mom. The lie is that he is going to his friend Wes’s house to spend the night, but in reality, Wes and Miguel are going to a Green Day concert. Miguel’s mom discovers the lie when Wes mentions a concert. Then Wes tells another lie when he says that the concert is of his sister playing the violin with the orchestra. What a stupid lie!
Now Miguel is going with his mother, his sister Maggie, and his friend Wes to a classical music concert. Miguel is not excited to listen to classical music. He prefers rock music. He thinks that rock music is very cool and that classical music is boring. Miguel doesn’t want to be at an orchestra concert with his mom and sister, he wants to be at the Green Day concert with Wes.
Maggie is very excited to listen to classical music. Maggie plays the piano and she loves classical music. Maggie practices the piano for one hour every day. She is very good.
Miguel looks at the stage. There are a lot of chairs, some very big drums, and other big instruments like a harp and a xylophone. The people in the orchestra enter the stage and the audience applauds. Some people go to the drums and tall instruments. Other people carry their instruments and sit on the chairs.
A person plays a note on the violin. The rest of the orchestra plays notes on their instruments.
“What are they doing?” Miguel asks Maggie.
“They are tuning their instruments. Tuning instruments is necessary so they don’t play in different tones,” Maggie responds.
Miguel looks at the instruments. He recognizes some instruments. He recognizes the trumpet and the trombone. He recognizes the clarinet and the flute. He recognizes the violin. But there are other instruments that he doesn’t recognize. There is a variety of drums that he doesn’t recognize. There are big violins that he doesn’t recognize. And there are brass instruments that he doesn’t recognize.
“What are those instruments?” Miguel asks Maggie, indicating a circular brass instrument.
“It is a French Horn. And the other tall brass instrument is a tuba,” Maggie responds.
“What are the big violins?”
“They are not violins. They are violas. The bigger ones are cellos, and the really big ones are basses,” Maggie responds patiently.
The orchestra director enters the stage and everyone applauds. Then the orchestra plays their first song. Wes closes his eyes and sleeps. Miguel usually sleeps when he hears classical music, but this time is different. Miguel is very interested in the different instruments. He is fascinated by the musicians that play fast and slow, loud and soft.
Miguel is moved by the music. His emotions connect with the music. When the music is sad, Miguel feels sad. When the music is happy, Miguel feels happy. Miguel discovers that he likes classical music.
After the concert, Miguel thinks that the instruments are cool. Miguel wants to play a musical instrument. Miguel wants to make music, not just listen to it. Miguel observes while Maggie plays the piano. Miguel thinks that it is not complicated to play the piano, Maggie only moves her fingers on the piano keys.
Miguel sits at the piano and moves his fingers on the piano keys. Miguel’s fingers don’t produce music like Maggie. Miguel realizes that playing the piano is a little complicated.
Miguel decides that he doesn’t want to play the piano, he wants to play another instrument. So Miguel visits with the music teacher in his school. The music teacher is called Mr. Esteban. Mr. Esteban is an expert in music and musical instruments.
“I want to play an instrument,” Miguel declares to Mr. Esteban.
Mr. Esteban is excited. He likes teaching music and always wants more students in band. Mr. Esteban puts several instruments on a table. There is a flute, a clarinete, a trumpet, a trombone, and a saxophone.
Mr. Esteban passes the instruments to Miguel. He gives a little instruction and Miguel tries to play the instrument to see which he prefers. They start with the flute.
Miguel blows and blows, but he doesn’t make a sound on the flute. His lips need to have a specific form, but it is very complicated for Miguel.
Then Miguel tries the clarinet. Mr. Esteban explains that his lips need a specific position to play the clarinet. Miguel makes the correct formation and blows. The sound that the clarinet makes is horrible. It is a big “squawk!”
Miguel tries to play the trumpet and the trombone. They aren’t bad. Miguel likes the trumpet because it is not complicated. It only has three valves. Miguel likes the trombone because he likes moving the slide to produce notes.
Miguel thinks that the saxophone is the coolest. Sometimes Miguel sees the saxophone in rock bands. Miguel wants to play the saxophone. It is a little complicated, but Miguel forms his lips and blows air in the saxophone. It produces a sound and the sound is not horrible! Mr. Esteban teaches him how to move his fingers to change notes on the saxophone. Miguel moves his fingers and produces three notes. It is very cool!
Miguel wants to be an expert on the saxophone immediately, but Mr. Esteban explains that professional musicians practice for years and years. Miguel needs to be patient and he needs to practice every day.
Miguel practices and practices and practices. He doesn’t just practice the saxophone. Miguel learns to play the guitar and the accordion. Now Miguel plays instruments in three bands. He plays the saxophone in a jazz band. He plays the accordion in a polka band. And he plays the guitar in a rock band.
The End.
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