Unexpected delightful evening!

While I was substitute teaching at Alamo Heights High School Monday and Tuesday, I read flyers on the hallway walls about a strings concert to be Tuesday evening at Municipal Auditorium. When I inquired about this program, I was told that it was a district concert. I interpreted this in the UIL sense, i.e. District 28-4A. And I almost didn't go. It might be nice to just relax on a Tuesday evening instead of going to some meeting or shindig somewhere.

But I went, because I like culture!

Am I glad I chose to go. When I arrived at Municipal Auditorium and received a program for the free event, it was clear that by "district" was meant the ISD. The concert commenced with performances by the fourth and fifth grade students of the two elementary schools in the AHISD. I was impressed, first, that the schools began teaching musical instruments as early as those grades, and then that the young students sounded so accomplished and talented.

Then it was the Junior School's turn. Their first musical number was "Rumbolero" -- sounds like a combo of rumba and bolero. Indeed the piece had a very Spanish sound to it! A few of the names of performers, listed in the program, were familiar to me as students whom I had had in classes of teachers for whom I had substituted. The same was true in regard to high school musicians listed. After the entire Junior School string section had their turn, there were two numbers by a combined Junior and High School "Jazz String Band" -- distinctive concept! The first number, "Tuxedo Junction", featured soloists from the Jr. Sch., while the second presented the High School soloists.

After that the High School strings did their thing. Some of these young people have the honor of earning All-Region, and a couple of them All-State. Considering how large Texas is, this is quite an honor -- more so than in the smaller 49!

And then came the grand finale. It was all musicians from fourth grade up to seniors, doing Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." It was WONDERFUL!

Upon leaving this concert that I had almost chosen to forego, I rode bus to Flores and Dolorosa streets. I waited for my friend Enrique to come around driving VÍA trolley, so that I could get aboard and chat. While waiting (in vain, it turned out), I noticed that several Catholic priests and religious were walking away from the Cathedral, just across Dolorosa Street. When I asked about this, a priest told me that they had just finished a Mass in which all clergy from around the Archdiocese renewed their vows. I pray that the Lord will help them to stand firm in these.