If you read my column last week, you know that I joined the London Community Band after several years of not participating. Since then, I’ve been to a couple of rehearsals, and I wanted to update you on how it’s going.
I can’t believe how many years have gone by since I last participated. It feels like it was only a couple years ago. After thinking about it though, I don’t think I have participated since I graduated high school in 2019.
There are members of the band I haven’t spoken to or even seen in person since then, and some I hadn’t seen in even longer. That’s a hard thought to wrap my head around.
I was nervous to join again after so long. Not only would I be seeing people I hadn’t seen in years, I’d also be meeting new people. On top of that, I’d be playing new music and pieces I hadn’t attempted in years. What if I played a wrong note? What if I came in at the wrong time? Both of those what-if moments happened.
I was so nervous that I felt awkward walking into the first rehearsal. The good news is that I had absolutely no reason to feel that way. The only awkward part was figuring out where to sit. Once I sat down, everything felt natural, almost like no time had passed. It’s funny how quickly muscle memory kicks in.
I am clearly the queen of overthinking, can’t you tell?
I had a lot of fun. By the second rehearsal, I was even more comfortable because I had already gotten over those first-practice nerves. I saw more people who hadn’t made it to the first rehearsal, and it was nice getting to catch up.
It has also been difficult not seeing Jack Walker in person. If you read my column last week, you probably remember me writing about Mr. Walker’s passing. I attended his visitation at First Baptist Church on June 26.
I saw all kinds of people there who appreciated Mr. Walker just as much as I did. One thing that stood out to me was having complete strangers come up to me and tell me they cried after reading my opinion article on Mr. Walker last week. Hearing that honestly means a lot to me. As a writer, you always hope your words connect with someone, so it feels good to know it did. I guess this is as good as time as any to thank you for taking the time out of your day to see what I have to say, even when the words are hard to find.
Overall, there’s a lot of noticeable sadness in the local band world right now, but there is also a lot of strength. We’ve got each other during this difficult time, and I think that’s helping all of us.
It’s important to stay connected within your community. Looking back, I probably should have participated in more London Community Band performances over the years, but I guess we all learn those lessons eventually. It is so important to make music with other people.
Mr. Walker’s funeral was on June 27, but I wasn’t able to attend because I had work events scheduled during that time. I do know the service was livestreamed on Bowling Funeral Home’s Facebook page.
On July 4, the London Community Band will perform patriotic music and dedicate one of the pieces to Mr. Walker in his honor. If you’re looking for something to do that evening, please join us. The performance is at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church.
