Marimbistas

I mentioned a few weeks back that the boys did very well in the Science Competition. They have just backed that up with the only High Distinctions in the school in the UNSW Maths Competition. I was at assembly today when they were presented with their Science Competition certificates (there is always a big lag between results and certificates).

As a bonus I got to hear both boys participate in marimba performances. The grade 4-5 group started hesitantly, struggled on gamely but then the music teacher, brave Mrs Stronach, stepped in and put tthe tune out of its' misery. The 2 kids on the bass marimba were going so slooooooow, everyone else had wisely decided to leave them behind. It sounded pretty chaotic.

So they took it from the top. And exactly the same thing happened. Mrs S recognised she was up against something too big to fight, and she and we rode it out to the end. Not pretty. If you ask me, when you start with the bass part soloing and everyone else has to follow it, you want your gun marimbistas on the bass. Surely?

[Note, the ch in Mrs Stronach's name is meant to be pronounced like stomach, but our dear principal always pronounces it like spinach. Just another of various crosses she has to bear]

Then the grade 3 marimba group came out and nailed their (admittedly simpler) piece beautifully. Michael was paired on a marimba with Corey, a famous loose cannon. I was expecting the unexpected, but they both laid down a disciplined groove. Once their bit was over they kept playing it in mime form, but managed not to clonk any unwanted clonks.

This evening we went out to the opening of a group exhibition of book and paper art, in which Mum has some work. Driving home with our superscientists in the back, one of them said, seriously; "Wow - look, there is like a star in the sky located right above each house!" This boy could probably name you the nearest five stars to us, in order. He can rattle off the moons of Jupiter. He probably has a theory about dark matter.

But streetlights are a whole new thing to him, apparently.