Renoir, Girls at the Piano
Boys at the Piano
Today Ethan and McKay performed their duets in the annual Music Federation Festival. McKay (who had easier pieces and practices more) scored a “Superior.” He was cool as a cucumber. Even when his duet partner Emily had a rocky start and stopped playing, McKay put his arm around her and said in his most soothing 8-year-old-parent voice “It’s okay. We’ll start again, but you’ve just got to do your best and keep going.” I think he deserved extra marks from the judges for sweetness.
Ethan and his partner (who are both busy with schoolwork and scouts and other things besides practicing) scored an “Excellent.” Despite attempts by their teacher to talk them out of it, they had picked a very difficult version of Pachelbel’s “Canon” – a song that everybody knows and loves. Unfortunately, this means that everybody also can tell when it’s being played with wrong notes, of which there were, sadly, quite a few today. But I was proud of Ethan. He just keep playing, and despite a few rough stretches (who knew Pachelbel was experimenting with dissonance so early?) they made it to the final chord which they hit correctly and simultaneously and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Ethan was a bit bummed out. But it was nothing that a trip to the football game with Dad shouldn’t fix. Go team.
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5 comments:
Oh I can remember being so nervous at my piano recitals as a kid and I wasn't getting graded. Your kids must be very talented.
I wanted to tell you about another Christmas book you may not have. It is called The Christmas Miracle of Johnathan Toomey. It is about a boy who teaches a lonely man the Christ Story and it is very touching with beautiful illustrations.
You think they will win? I haven't followed much of Cougar football since the days of Ty Detmer (Andrew knew him well and had this hat Ty gave him and then he lost it and has been in agony ever since).
Jenn,
Thanks for the suggestion. We do have Toomey -- it's one of our favorites. We should share our lists.
Michelle,
Wahoo! Final score: 42- 17.
(Sorry about the hat -- maybe a good piano recital will cheer him up?)
Julie, I don't actually have that many Christmas books. I have bought some beautiful ones for my cousins kids, but I have forgotten the titles. If you do the Santa thing, I think Patricia Polacco's Welcome Comfort is a lovely story. Similar to Polar Express in some ways, but with a deeper character.
What a sweet 8 year old! I love it when I catch my kids being adorable. I'm not sure where they get it from because they don't learn it from me!
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