Timothy’s Talent Show Triumph and the Magic of Music

by Drew Holmes

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Timothy came home from school clutching a blue-green half sheet of paper, barely able to contain his excitement. Something was up.

The paper was a permission slip to tryout for his school’s talent show. He and Sam had transferred to a new school just after spring break and, with the school year almost over, fitting in had been a challenge. Timothy was sure that if he could perform for his school in the show, it would elevate his social status and every kid would know who he was.

We let him sleep on it to consider if he really wanted to do it. On the breakfast table the next morning, the form was filled out in his neatest third grade handwriting. Timothy had decided to write an original drum beat and asked me for help in notating it exactly as envisioned. How could I say no to filling out the last empty space on the form, the one asking for my signature?

He practiced as diligently as any 8-year-old does, and after a successful tryout he was one of only three third graders accepted into the show. A week later the gym was packed as every student in the school eagerly anticipated the collected talents of their classmates. A hush fell over the assembled crowd as Timothy took his place behind the drum kit. This was his first solo performance. Would it live up to the experience he had been dreaming of?

Senior year of college in New Jersey, I had formed my second brass quintet. After years of waiting to find the right mix of fun and skilled personnel, I was ready to recreate the magic I had felt with my first group back in Massachusetts. We were sounding good and had played a few gigs when we were asked to perform for Parents’ Weekend.

As the leader of the group, I chose to perform something to highlight my playing — Leroy Anderson’s Trumpeter’s Lullaby. The song features a simple melody, creating a virtual blank canvas for style and taste. This was a chance to put my own spin on a familiar tune.

As I introduced the song to the packed house, I had a moment of doubt. What if I blanked? What if they did not like it? What was I even doing there in the first place?