Labor Day, the day before the new school year began, was always exciting to me. There was the anticipation of finding out who would be in my classes the next day. Regardless of how each year actually turned out, there was always one class about which I didn't have to worry--orchestra. While there were always some new faces from year to year, there were also plenty of familiar faces from previous years. If you were in the orchestra as a freshman, chances were you'd still be there as a senior. It was always comforting to know that the violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists around me were all there to play tasteful music and had an easy rapport with other like-minded, studious people.
Also, as in middle school, it was easy for one or more players to sidetrack Mr. D., the director, into telling a 20-minute story...
...In a new school year filled with uncertainty, I welcomed that continuity.
