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| Commerce High School 2011 Concert Band from Commerce, Texas |
I had the delightful pleasure of visiting a little town last night and hearing an award-winning orchestra. The Commerce High School Concert Band of Commerce, Texas was one of only 18 bands invited to a state-wide concert and, after hearing them play, I'm not surprised that they were the only band there to get a standing ovation!
It was remarkable! Every pitch was perfect, the kids were confident, and the arrangements were very difficult. The local college, Texas A & M in Commerce, and it's new music school certainly has a bumper crop of ultra-talented students from which to choose!
And the band isn't the only thing that is going right in the town. They have a high school principal who knows the kids by name and even sends them notes of encouragement. They have a charming town center, annual festivals and talent competitions, city-wide awards, and the benefit from the university that brings in culture with theatre, art, and music.
An added bonus is the atmosphere. This is, after all, considered by most to be a rural town, 65 miles east of Dallas. The people wave when they pass on the street whether they know each other or not. It's not uncommon to walk into the local Mexican Restaurant and see two or three neighbors, and nobody gives it a thought when someone comes up to their table just to chat.
It has it's quirks, like the fact that everything except the Whataburger closes about 10PM, the middle of a play is announced as "half-time," and wearing jeans or shorts to a formal concert is just a matter of taste. But the people aren't the type to give off airs. They're just people. Some are filthy rich; others are dirt poor. Some are brilliant; some are just barely getting by, but a visitor isn't going to be able to tell the difference between the mayor and the delivery guy from Dominoes because both will offer a hand and a grin, and shoot the breeze with anyone that smiles and shakes back as a matter of course.
It's no wonder these talented kids played so well, with such an amazing town supporting them. (By the way, their Booster Club did an OUTSTANDING job this year, too!)
Below, find links to the Commerce Chamber of Commerce, as well as Commerce High School and if you get the chance, give a listen to their orchestra links at the site. Well worth it!
4 comments:
I agree with everything you said, except the part about the Whataburger. We do have late night fast food and we don't have a Whataburger...had one 7 or 8 years ago...I sure do miss 'em.....
We have never had a Whataburger in commerce
OOOooooops! I was remembering the Whataburger from previous visits - had to stop for caffeine for my long trip home. I didn't realize they had gone by the wayside! But I do remember when McDonalds moved in! What a party!
Thanks so much! The concert was amazing. There are so many talented seniors leaving but there are also a huge number of talented freshman about to move up. This is a truly academically high achieving and talented class and they will be missed terribly. (I wish we still had a whataburger! We had one several years ago and they had the slowest service on the planet!)
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