A few days after her performance at the OKC Arts Festival, Darby had a performance this afternoon at an "arts extravaganza," as it was called, at a local middle school. Basically all the schools in the area brought together their arts programs for a common recital platform.
It was decent, though there were logistical issues. It was the first year they've held it outdoors, which I imagine was a nice change, but their planning in that regard was not so great. It was like they were going for symmetry over practicality. As they progressed they learned adjustments were necessary to keep functioning. But when you have to ask your audience to pick up their seats and move three times during the various performances, the focus shifts from sustaining public school arts programs to oh-crap-do-I-have-to-move-again-and-lose-my-good-seats. Not sure they did more harm than good, but UGH. Was glad to get out of there, which is probably not the impression I was supposed to leave with.
Performance-wise, probably the coolest thing I saw (aside from my own daughter's performance of course) was the percussion ensemble of from a downtown elementary school. We're talking 5th grade and below, with about five xylophones, three or four steel drum players, as well as bongos and other equipment, and it sounded really good. Maybe as good as some high school pit sections I've heard in my day (not from MY high school of course). Those kids are going places if they keep it up. Kinda wish the girls' school had something like that as Shelby has been bugging me forever for drum lessons.
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