[Trombone-l] Trombones

[Pat and Joe Chapman]

>
> This is a love story that involves trombones, and at the end I will  
> ask a question that I hope will legitimize my using the trombone  
> list to tell the story.
> As high school students we met in the band in the trombone  
> section.  She sat at the first chair position, and I came in as a  
> freshman, sitting at third chair.  I thought she was awfully bossy,  
> and as band captain she had a lot to say.  However, as love would  
> have it, by the end of the year we were going steady.  Playing in  
> the band was fun, and playing together was even more fun.  Several  
> years after high school we were married, and continued the trombone  
> playing for a couple of years.  Family gradually took all of our  
> attention, and with four wonderful sons we spent many hours at  
> their sporting events, and yes, at their band and choral concerts.   
> It should be no surprise that all four played low brass instruments  
> - two of them using our instruments that brought us together.  Our  
> sons' musical activities rekindled our trombone interest, and we  
> found ourselves playing in community musical organizations.   
> Retirement and a move to the Oregon coast left us thinking we would  
> be playing duets together if nothing more.  We were wrong on that  
> score, and now, a dozen years later we find ourselves playing more  
> than ever in our lives.  It is still fun.  We play in a community  
> concert band, a brass ensemble and also in a big band.  Of course,  
> she is still playing first chair, but I changed to bass trombone  
> along the way.  Throughout our lives together, the ties that bind  
> have been our sons and their families and our love affair that has  
> included the trombone.  Our story doesn't have  an ending yet, but  
> our 50th wedding anniversary is on June 8th,  and I wanted to  
> celebrate that day and share the happiness that trombones, life and  
> love  have brought us.
> Oh - the question:  At what age should one consider hanging up his  
> trombone and become just a listener?  (My own answer is "probably  
> never.")...................Joe Chapman
> Pat Chapman, the lady trombonist, is a member of the trombone  
> list.  This story is for her.
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