It Started With a Song About Snow Pants {Cara Parker Photography, Westford, MA Senior Photographer}

It started with a song about Snow Pants.

Snow Pants
Warm and Snuggly Snow Pants

That's about all we remember of that song, but what is vividly burned in my mind is the passion in which aa first grader belted a song about Snow Pants.

He was hooked on performing.

They always had a band going.

First, he'd be the Donkey in the Nativity.  Then, he'd become Pecos Bill in Tall Tales.  He loved to be on stage.  Every year, at his elementary school's concert, he would sing his heart out.

Pecos Bill couldn't contain his excitement about being on stage.

In fifth grade, he was one of only a few boys to join chorus.  He then landed a role as Captain Hook in Peter Pan.  And he was awesome.

Sixth grade continued to fuel the fire.  Middle School Chorus, Boys Chorus, and the Middle School play all fed this need to perform.  And he wanted more.

This scene is famously known at his middle school as the Spatula Incident.

Blanchard Boys Chorus

Winning the Chorus Award

Over the next few years, he'd land a few more roles, gain a few solos, learn some basic piano, and start voice lessons.  He loved it, so we encouraged it, and gave him all of the opportunities that we could provide.

Vocal Lesson Performance

This continued into acting classes, theater camps, and an intense high school theater experience. Between the lessons, rehearsals, classes, and performances, it was turning into a full-time job.
He sang the National Anthem at Fenway Park.  He landed a few leads.  He auditioned for districts. He participated in the Mass Choral Festival.

Then, he decided to buy a guitar and taught himself a few chords.  He picked up the ukulele and taught himself that, too.  After receiving cajon drums and bongos, he decided to learn those as well.  

It all came so naturally to him.  Undoubtedly, he had to work hard to excel, but he also loved the challenge.  Music was a passion. It was a love.  It was what he did when he was happy, sad, or bored.  

And then, his voice teacher challenged him to play his guitar and sing.  At the same time. In front of an audience. On stage.

I've always been a nervous wreck before a solo performance.  Group numbers didn't scare me, but watching a child perform alone, with all eyes on him.... that's enough to make my heart race and have vertigo take over.  I didn't breathe the entire time.  But he nailed it.  It was awesome because he had worked so hard at it. I cried.

Singing Let Her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish

As a senior, he earned a lead solo, singing a song in Swahili.  Why not?  Then he sang the National Anthem as a quintet at a high school hockey game then sang it as a duet at the Massachusetts High School Girls Basketball Tournament.

Tonight, we celebrated the last school concert.  He slowly put on his tux for the last time and reluctantly headed out the door. Going in meant acknowledging that the end is near.  The safety circle of his Chorus Family led by an amazing choral director who loves and honors and appreciates her students was about to disband.  I teared up as he drove away to get to call on time.

After the performance, he gave a heartfelt tribute to his chorus teacher, who has been there for him and his music family through a lot of struggles. As he put back the mic, people wiped away their tears.

We have one more chance to see him sing at graduation.  After that, we don't know where his musical path will lead. We hope that he will continue to love and pursue it in college and beyond.  We'll travel to watch him perform, because he still does it with the same passion and enthusiasm as he did as he sang about Snow Pants.