Instrumental music

Day 61
As I write this I am listening to Symphony No. 7 in A Major by Beethoven.  Ah, I love Beethoven's music.  It's beautifully written and emotionally charged.  He has such an understanding and way of working with the music to make it what it is, even when he couldn't hear his own compositions.  I was able to have sectionals with my band students today and witnessed yet again the joy of experiencing instrumental music in its early stages of understanding.  The students are learning so many new things at once.  Of course, instrumental music is full of learning new things simultaneously; reading, fingering, breathing, notation, dynamics, etc.  I love to see the light bulb go off in their minds when a concept clicks and they are then able to apply that concept to other areas of their music experience. 
It is also interesting to see the many different levels that they are at.  Some are still making the mental connection between seeing what note is written and the fingering or position that corresponds with seeing that note.  Then there are some who are beginning to fine tune their music reading.  They are starting to understand how to perform dynamics, better breathing techniques, and how to perform as an ensemble.  I get all excited when they realize their own potential because I was once in their shoes, just learning my own instrument. 
God, thank you so much for the beautiful gift of music, especially instrumental music.  May we always see its importance in school and in our lives.