BENAROYA HALL INVADED BY 5TH GRADERS

I sketched while they fiddled

Darrell's granddaughter Victoria exclaimed the other week, that her class was going on a field trip to Benaroya Hall (home of Seattle Symphony) and they needed some parents to volunteer to be chaperons.  Would he like to volunteer?  Darrell said he would if he wasn't the only one.  Well, next day she says no other parents had offered...so I said I could take a day off and go (I love the symphony and Benaroya Hall).  

I can even remember going with my class in elementary school.  I thought it was such a thrill at the time.  (That was back in the olden days when the symphony played at a little hall on the Seattle Center grounds.)

After we returned the proper paperwork, with all the proper boxes checked, we were deemed acceptable and invited to join them.  Today was the day.  It turned out to be one of the nicest days in a long while, sun was out and it warmed up enough to leave the heavy coat at home and wear a light jacket.

The hardest thing about this was that we only knew one of the kids, Victoria and a couple of her friends by sight.  The rest we didn't know at all.  So, when we got off the bus where there were dozens of other buses, and everyone was filing into the hall, it was impossible for us to know which ones were which.  We just stayed in line and kept an eye on Victoria.

Victoria and her friend

Filling up

We sat in the 5th row

There was a big screen showing closeups of orchestra

We've been in this hall quite a lot of times.  Usually the audience is so quiet you can hear a pin drop...on stage... (really).  This time was totally different!  It was unbelievable loud.  The hall sits 2500 people and it was packed full with students from districts all over the county.  All in all though, they were a good audience, if somewhat fidgety.  They quieted down eventually.  Luckily the program was only about an hour.  There was an excellent celloist, 14 year old Jeremy Steele from Garfield High School.  They kids were impressed.  

We had a great time.  I don't think we were the best 'chaperons' they've had (we got separated from the group on the way back to the buses,  shhh, I don't think the teacher noticed).  They counted the kids on the bus and since there was one extra we closed the doors and headed home (at least we didn't lose anyone).