Northern beaches girl Taylor Grayson to play Last Post on veranda for ANZAC Day
Musicians are being encouraged to play the Last Post from their driveways at dawn on ANZAC Day. Avalon schoolgirl Taylor Grayson, 11, is one young trumpeter who will be doing so.
Manly
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Schoolgirl and trumpeter Taylor Grayson was due to perform the Last Post at the Palm Beach ANZAC Ceremony on Saturday.
But after the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic she decided she would play anyway — from her veranda.
The 11-year-old from Avalon will play the Last Post at 6am, 11am and 10pm.
The Year 6 pupil is hoping people will come to their doorways, front yards and driveways to listen and to remember those who have served and sacrificed for their country.
Others like her will be doing the same all around the country after local jazz legend James Morrison called for people to play the tribute at 6am.
Taylor said while she was disappointed not to be playing at Palm Beach, she liked the idea that her music will “stretch out to the whole neighbourhood”.
On the day Taylor said she would be thinking of her grandfather Capt Larry Summers from the Canadian air force, who flew the F104 Starfighter, nicknamed the widowmaker, in the Cold War when he was just 21.
He did two tours of Germany and a tour in the UAE during the Afghan war in 2003.
“I will be thinking of my grandfather,” Taylor said. “I will be remembering those who fought for us.
“We will also be calling our grandparents as well.”
Her mother Jody, 45, said her daughter had been playing the trumpet for four years and practising the Last Post for the last year.
She said the Last Post always made her teary and so her daughter’s performance will probably be quite emotional for her, but also special for the community.
“It will be different this year, but I think at dawn the music will carry quite far,” she said.
“It will bring the whole community together.”
The family will be doing a letterbox drop alerting neighbours to Taylor’s performances on Saturday.
Taylor’s mum, dad Conrad, 48, and siblings Morgan, 7, and Oxley, 4, will be standing alongside her with candles while she plays at 6am.
