Recitals

Finn and I both had recitals earlier in the week, and we're both happy to report that we are done!

Let's start with Finn.  My violin teacher had asked if he'd like to play a piece at the violin recital, which had sort of morphed into a family recital (one sibling of a student played the dulcimer, another played piano, a dad accompanied his daughter on guitar, etc.).  Finn was game for it, even though it involved playing a keyboard, not a piano.  He went before me at my recital, introduced himself and the piece, and then....wow.

My husband later told him "I think everyone thought, 'how cute, this little boy will get up and play a song.'  But as soon as you started, you were in command of the room."

He played "Carol of the Bells." The thing that makes that piece commanding is having a tight grip on the changing dynamics, and Finn is so good at dynamics.  

Then it was my turn. I didn't feel nervous, so I introduced my piece, and guess what?  Some adrenaline rush poured into my body and my bow would not stop shaking!!!  By the time I got to the end of my first song I was just laughing because I couldn't believe it. I'd never had to fight through a shaking bow before--having never performed in front of an audience before--and I was stunned at the way my body seemed to betray me.  All I could do was laugh!  Finn--my honest music critic--told me that my sound was still very good, but I was fighting to just maintain control, so I didn't even hear how I played.  

Second song was only slightly better, and when my teacher came in for the duet, I was a little calmer.  But talk about being shocked by your own lack of control over your body.  Yikes.

After my recital we went out for Mexican food and then I went home for a long winter's nap!

Finn's piano recital was Monday night.  He played "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (cute and always a crowd-pleaser), Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" (a duet with his teacher), and "Carol of the Bells."  He played flawlessly.  I don't know how he does it, really. The funny thing was, his teacher had just finished playing a commanding duet and she still had adrenaline coursing through her body, and she actually messed up on her duet with Finn!  So they played the song a second time.  She apologized later, but I told her all of her students probably really appreciated realizing that even a professional can suffer from an overdose of adrenaline from time to time.

I appreciated realizing it, too! 

Love and Delight

Our folksong this term is "Simple Gifts," an old Shaker song that I've heard plenty of times before, but when we listened to this version of it I found my face wet with tears. 

My children are used to this happening at random moments, but Finn still teased me for crying. 

Why did I cry? Maybe it's the cello, which always gets me. Or perhaps it's Alison Krauss, whose voice I love (we danced to one of her songs as our "first dance" at our wedding reception nearly 18 years ago!). 

But actually I think it's because I realized that my whole life could be summarized by these eight lines. My story, like most stories, is a little complex, and I would not have imagined twenty years ago that it would have led me here. But I did, in fact, come down to where I ought to be. 

Through some truly undeserved and unearned grace I'm here in the valley of love and delight.  Every single day I wake with immense gratitude for it.  

 And yes, our backyard valley is beautiful, but I'm talking metaphorically as well.  I joke that I have stray dog syndrome: you know how the stray dog is so fearful, and then it's always the one most grateful when it finds a home?  

It's like that. Every day.  

In Christ Alone

One of my family's all-time favorite songs is "In Christ Alone," which we sometimes sing at church, and often listen to at home.

This morning I saw a link to this version of the song, which was performed by Christina Grimmie. I didn't know who she was before last week. She was an up-and-coming singer who was murdered after a concert last Friday.

With that singular tragedy preceding the enormous tragedy in Orlando only a day later, the song resonates with and ministers to me, and perhaps if you are suffering, it will minister to you, too.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

this is the power of Christ in me, 

from life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

can ever pluck me from His Hand,

till he returns, or calls me home,

here in the power of Christ I stand.

(There are lots of versions of the song, but this is the one my husband likes to play for us! I love Christina Grimmie's version as well.)

Finn Composes

On our first morning in Charleston, Finn diligently began writing music.  Before I'd even had my coffee, I had to email a question to his teacher about eighth note rests.  He finished the song (which was written in three movements) the first day we were there, and now he's playing "Fairy Song" as his solo piece at his spring piano recital in a few weeks.

(And for his duet, we're playing Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty Waltz" which I confess I am having to read, pick apart, and memorize.....my uncle told me in Charleston that this means I cannot sight-read music, and he's right! I have an ear, not an eye, for music.) 

Not bad work for an 8-year-old!  Nice work, Finn. 

Camille Saint-Saens

Wow!  In 24 hours I have ordered two spring dresses, slept on the floor of Finn's bedroom in a sleeping bag (he is sick to his stomach), done a thorough tidy and cleaning of our main floor (except Finn's room: see "he is sick," above), shared goldfish crackers with a US Marshal (don't ask!), tidied our basement, and dined with a United States Congressman and his wife at a fundraiser tonight. 

In the midst of all this: Camille Saint-Saens, my newest composer-obsession. Although best known for his "Carnival of the Animals," a piece he apparently did not like, I have been devouring his Piano Concerto No. 2 (for one incarnation, look here).  This is only the tip of the iceberg as far as Saint-Saens is concerned and I am looking forward to many more listening hours.

And please, please, please, let no one else catch Finn's stomach bug.  My poor boy is sick. But tomorrow is a new day!!