Authors Note: Hi…Thephantomsredrose here! I have no beta for this story. I am piecing a few short works I have done about my band into this story adding my own little twists. I will try to update frequently but if you like the story please be sure to review. I do not own Rent, Son of a Witch, The Jazz All State Piece, Or most of anything else.
Lydia Maybrooks ran down to the band room as soon as the lunch bell rang. She opened the door and felt a familiar rush of happiness. She heard from the Piano Lab the sounds of her friend Joe on the piano. She went to take her normal first soprano seat. When he had finished playing; She asked what the song was from. " I wrote it," Joe said. Joe's talent has always astounded Lydia.
"How is the studding for the chorus final going. Us seniors only have to write what we liked about the class," Joe said.
"Well, It's just chorus and I already know all this theory stuff," She said as she pulled out a turkey sandwich.
"And how is your trip to Europe coming? Are you all packed?" He asked
"Yeah I am, And I finally got my music for the concerts we will perform," She said.
Lydia was going on the USA European Concert Tour over the summer. She was going for vocal music, and could not wait to go. She was fourteen making her the youngest freshman on the trip. She had gotten in after an outstanding District festival audition.
This was the last day for the seniors. A few of the sophomores poured into the room as well as Lydia's friend Katie. The room took a somber tone as the band seniors reflected on their high school years and shared there secrets with those they found worthy. A few things of theirs were left behind as a lasting impression on the band room for the worthy to find. She could live without all the other seniors but not the band seniors. They were like a second family, and it was heart wrenching to see them leave that day.
"Lydia?" Asked the Band Director Mr. Manning
"Yeah," she replied hoping this was what she was waiting for.
"Do you still want to join Marching Band, because we only have one Trombone. Karina is going back to flute for marching and Dylan is going over to Euphonium. I can teach you sometime next week to get back to the Basics of Trombone," Said Mr. Manning.
"Hopefully I can pick it back up again. Its been a few years but I am more than happy to work with the group of people I live with, but I don't think I will be ready for this season," Lydia sighed.
" I think you could be, but we will start off slow. I know you are going to Europe so you will not have much time. If you don't feel comfortable with this season then we will get you signed up for concert band next year," He explained.
Old Pear Creek was a small town and had an even smaller school that prided itself on its gold medal band. However, the graduating class of 2006 was about 20 out of the 60 band members The Fall Season would be with a small group of around 40 because the upcoming freshmen were already in the band
The next week there were subs or lack-there-of in almost all of Lydia's classes so naturally Lydia asked the Freshman Science sub if she could go work on a "project" in the band room. She had worked out all the details. She even had a copy of the Jazz All States piece to show him. She signed a pass went to the band room. Mr. Manning had gone white water rafting with the seniors on their trip so the band room was unsupervised. There she found next falls drum major Mandy and her close friend Katie. The three of them watched Blast while talking about how great it would be to have 22 tubas.
Lydia had finals on her last week of school and was supposed to be learning trombone. She went to school at 9:30 and took her English final, which only took her 25 minutes to complete. However, the school rules were that everyone had to sit their final for at least an Hour.
Lydia picked up the book she had been reading for the third time; Gregory McGuire's "Son of a Witch." The time was passing by slowly; each movement of the second hand was staggered and unforgiving. She could not wait to re-learn the trombone.
As soon as it was 10:30, she zipped out of the English room. She got to the band room in a minute because the school was so small. A girl named Summer was organizing music from the year, putting the copies of "Rent" that had been played at graduation together on music stands.
Lydia looked over to see Mr. Manning still working with a student on their Piano I final. While she was waiting, she listened to her brand new IPod. Of course she only had it for two days and she already had 417 Broadway songs, 100 of these were from Rent. When Mr. Manning was finally done giving his exam he handed some music to the "foreign" band members (the ones from other schools) and then pulled out two chairs into the empty band room
"Let me go get my weapon," Mr. Manning said. He came out with his prized trombone. Lydia sat down in an orange chair and he said "Lets start with the basics," He began the lesson.
Apparently, the basics were blowing into the mouthpiece. Lydia was able to produce the Donald Duck like sound quite well. Then they began reading some easy stuff out of a Trombone book she had since 5th grade. Lydia was so happy that she was actually able to produce music. Mr. Manning had her put the mouthpiece back in the trombone and try to match his pitch. She did very well after about a half an hour of her lips aching she was dismissed and told to come back the next day after finals.
Lydia got home and threw a white sundress on. She had to go down to the Old Pear Creek square for some European publicity. She would be singing at the opening of a family friend's bathing suit store, as Old Pear Creek was a coastal city. When she was done with this, she went home to see this opening on her TV screen. However, all that really mattered was that she could make music come out of the trombone.