Glo and her Interlochen Summer

I write this post more for myself, and for Glo.  I don't know how much she records in her journal, and I have a terrible memory, so this is for us.

Glo has had a terrific summer here at Interlochen.  Because this is her third summer here, I think she sometimes thinks of this camp more as her camp than anybody's else.  She knows where everything is, and is completely independent riding her bike through the acres and acres of building, practice huts and trails.  I think it feels like home to her here.

At the beginning of the summer, Glo was placed 1st chair, 1st violin of the Junior Symphony Orchestra (which translates into Concertmaster).  She stayed in that seat through two straight sessions.  Not only was she a leader to the kids, but she was a good friend, walking with kids who didn't know where their next class was, and talking to kids who were a bit homesick or at camp for the first time.

For the third session, she was placed third chair in the Junior String Ensemble, a small, elect group of players.  For the first week (of two), the conductor rotated the first four chairs, letting each sit as concertmaster.  At the beginning of the second week, he let Glo know that he had chosen her as Concertmaster.  We were all over the moon about it.  The translation?  Of all junior campers at Interlochen (grades 3-6), Glo was the best violinist.  Wow.  Again, she was chosen for a mixture of her playing ability, and for her leadership skills.

I couldn't have been more proud when we would be biking through camp and kids would stop her constantly to say "hi" and to talk.  She would get invited to ice cream socials, and the kids would sneak her onto division.  When girls would come into the infirmary, they were thrilled to find out that I'm "Glo's mom" (remember my post about notoriety?  it begins anew).  She's a good girl obviously.

Well, the crowning moment for Glo and the summer was the invitation to conduct the Interlochen theme at the conclusion of the final Junior orchestra concert.  It is rarely anybody but the Concertmaster who gets to do it, and seeing as I only have one violinist, the Kennedy eggs are all in one basket for this opportunity (although Mark DID conduct it last year for WYHC (the World Youth Honors Choir).  She was a bit nervous, but we practiced beforehand.  Mark and I actually sat in the living room, singing it, watching her conduct, and making sure that she had perfected the one 2/4 measure in the 40 measures of 4/4.

She was a star.  Seriously.  It felt surreal to see her put her violin down on her chair, take the baton, step up to the podium and conduct the orchestra.  Was that seriously Glo?  To her credit, she listened to Mark and me--we had warned her about not dragging the theme as so many kids do.  She kept it at a quick clip, remembered the tricky measures and did our family proud!

Next year will be completely different.  Both Johannah and Glo will be entering new divisions which means they will be the youngest and least experienced.  It will be a while before we see any of this glory again.  However, for the moment, we are taking full advantage of it all.  GO GLO!