As a 5th grader, Emersyn is part of the middle school. She is loving everything about Middle School at Concordia. The students have a choice of band, strings or choir for first period. Emersyn decided on band. She listed her three choices for an instrument at the end of the school year of 4th grade. The band teacher meets with the kids to help them decided on the instrument and to put together a band that is not all one instrument. There were 12 students wanting to do the flute…must be because it is small and light. Emeryn’s three choices were the flute, the clarinet and the saxophone. She was assigned the saxophone which she was excited about.

Before we left for the summer, we got the cost of instruments in Shanghai. The saxophone cost from $1, 100 to 1, 800 in China. Hum, not a cheap instrument! We decided we should go saxophone shopping in America, also. Our first stop was our last stop in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The music store first showed us a slight used instrument for $1, 295. Emersyn was not too thrilled with the scratches on the instrument. The same instrument new was $1, 395…a $100 for no scratches. The sales person also informed me this was the beginners saxophone and she would need to upgrade the instrument for high school…REALLY!! Then, she pulled out one more instrument from the back that she forgot about. She asked her husband if Emmy could play this one as a beginner since it was not the student model. He said, “yes”. He had purchased these saxophones at a close-out sale, therefore, he was passing the savings onto the buyers. We got Emersyn’s advance saxophone for $1, 495. The retail price was $3, 000. Ok, I felt happy with my bargain and best of all I wouldn’t have to upgrade later! Emmy was thrilled with her new, shiny saxophone. It is a beautiful instrument.

SInce Emmy’s new saxophone is too long to fit as carry-on luggage, it takes up the whole suite case. Now, I was a suite case short for going back to California. It will be taking up valuable space when we fly to Shanghai since we take so much food back with us.

When our Colorado friends came to visit, Makayla played the saxophone. She is also in the jazz band at her high school. She showed Emmy how to put it together, how to play it and the scale. Emmy played the scale and learned the notes. Then, she played “Mary had a little lamb” from remembering the notes from piano. She is going to have a blast in band!