July 1963, summer vacation. Wait! Summer Band started new band members at Hart's Hill Elementary School. 2 lessons and 2 band rehearsals each week for 5 weeks with Mr Cantwell. If we waited until September to pick out instruments and parents meeting, it would have taken to December to learn what did in 5 weeks that summer.

On Monday I got my Reynolds Medalist Cornet in a oversized Samsonite case. In my first group lesson we learned how to assemble our instrument (insert mouthpiece in cornet - glad I didn't pick clarinet) and how to buzz our lips. Everyone in my group lesson made sounds with our cornets. We got a lesson book but just trying get sounds our first assignment. Tuesday was first band rehearsal. Don't bring your instrument that day. We started to learn reading music in the Belwin Note Speller book. We put the letter name of note on the staff on the line under the staff. The letters make words. In our second lesson Mr. Cantwell explained how to breathe deep from our stomachs and make our lip corners firm.