Think about it—last fall, two good friends start 5th grade at Lawton Elementary School in Magnolia, Seattle and decide to join band together. They both have the same first name, and they live only about 10 blocks apart. What instrument(s)? They decide to play trumpet together. And then this spring, they both decide to take trumpet lessons—from me!

One boy (12) rented his horn from Ted Brown Music in the University District (please see https://www.tedbrownmusic.com/t-seattle.aspx). When band started, there were six trumpet players, but they met only once a week. He was not learning to read music, so his parents offered him private lessons. They found me on http://www.LessonsInYourHome.com, and so it was that I came to their home for the first lesson on 27 February 2020, and began teaching my 52nd trumpet student.

One thing led to another. My wife and I went away on vacation in Honolulu in March. When we returned, Covid-19 restrictions had been imposed, and we self-quarantined for two weeks.

My 53rd student (11) said that at the beginning of school last fall, he had a choice of violin, cello, trumpet, trombone, or clarinet. The clarinet was too long and had too many buttons. The violin would be uncomfortable on his shoulders. He says his arms are too short for the trombone. And the trumpet had only three buttons—aha, the winner! So, he, too, went to Ted Brown Music and rented his trumpet.

There were six trumpeters in the boys’ class. The music teacher, Timothy Burk, told them to learn the notes, and even though he and his friend were not doing that so well, they still were ahead of their classmates. When No. 53 learned that No. 54 was taking private lessons, his parents agreed to let him take lessons, also.

And so it began with our first half-hour lesson on 31 March—online—one boy at 2 p.m., the other at 3 p.m. Good players, both.