This is “Priory Week” for me because:

a. On Sunday I played for St. Andrew’s Priory Baccalaureate.
b. Last night, I played for 6th Grade Moving Up Ceremony (girls only)
c. Tonight, I played for 6th Grade Graduation (boys only)
d. Friday, I’ll play for graduation rehearsal
e. Sunday, I’ll play for Graduation.

Although Queen Emma founded the school in 1867 for the education of young girls, in 2014 the school opened The Prep, for the education of boys from K-6. It’s not co-ed as you might think, but rather an all-boys elementary school and an all-girls school K-12.

Tonight’s ceremony was special because it was the first class of 6th grade graduating boys—and four of the boys had been students here since kindergarten. Dr. Ruth Fletcher, head of school, acknowledged several people who were instrumental in the creation of The Prep, and I couldn’t help but think of my husband, Carl, who was part of the 2012 Strategic Planning Team which envisioned The Prep. You see, he was the Chief Financial Officer of St. Andrew’s Schools, and although his name wasn’t mentioned tonight, I know that he was part of the team which made all this possible. As Dr. Fletcher said, tonight was the fulfillment of a dream.

I made a special vow to myself NOT to repeat any of the music this whole week, and except for Baccalaureate and Graduation, the parents and students have been different each night. Unfortunately, I discovered that a critical note in the Festival Trumpet was “dead” on the 4-manual Aeolian-Skinner organ which forced me to change the exit processional music tonight. Luckily I had a copy of Jeremiah Clarke’s “Trumpet Tune” in the key of B-flat which avoided the dead note for 99% of the piece!

That reminds me of the time I had programmed John Stanley’s “Trumpet Voluntary in D” for an organ dedication and when I got to the church on the day of the concert, I discovered that the “D” was dead! Aaurgghh! My dilemma was: Do I instantly transpose everything to D-flat or just use another stop? I decided to use another stop instead!