Dalton's 2nd Piano Recital

Remember I started teaching Dalt last year. Well we got him a real teacher in September 2010 and he's progressing beautifully! He loves playing, I only sometimes have to remind him to practice and even then, he's happy to do it. Actually he plays at the most inconvenient times ie: screaming Jennie? Dalton is playing. Screaming Joe, Dalton is playing. Crying Sophia, (she's not much of a screamer) Dalton is playing. I've realized that he uses it to scrub out the chaos of family life. I'm just glad he has a productive coping mechanism. He loves learning the theory, his mathamatical mind finds patterns everywhere. I see music being his lifelong friend.

Dalton's First Piano Recital

We started informal lessons, (I'm his teacher, and he's pretty much caught up to me now:) 2 months ago, and he's already in a recital! My new girlfriend Suzy teaches, but she's full right now. She invited him to perform with her students in their "Spring Recital". I'm so proud of him! His first song he has titled, "The Chase", and his second little ditty he calls, "Just Playin'".



I tried really hard to get him to bow, but he was too embarrassed. He's super motivated to practice on his own and enjoys making up his own songs. Way to go Dalton!

The Piano

Photo courtesy of Sophia Crawford

It's a Stark Upright Grand circa the 1930's. I found it on CraigsList for only $350! It'll be tuned on Monday and I can't wait! So far, the kids and I are loving it, and it hasn't suffered much abuse at our hands.

Since we're so new still to the costs of living here, we're not committing to lessons yet. I do however have my old books from my one year of lessons, (all I can seem to remember is where middle C is :) and I have a new teach-yourself-piano course by my old, old, old Bishop's wife. Dalton is enjoying learning his 5 note scales, and I love the sound of real music in our home!


Here, Sophia is attempting to play the Book of Mormon.

I just realized today that all of my kids favorite songs are not traditional kid songs, but my children have given the songs traditional kid song titles. Sophia's is "The Finger Song" which is actually by CAKE, and not at all like thumbkin. Joseph's song is "Chinese Chicken" which is by Bare Naked Ladies, and is more about the adult male/female relationship with it's flaws in/beauties of communication than anything Chinese or chicken. Dalton's favorite song is "The Alien Song" which is actually Stings, Englishman in New York. We've had several conversations about the word alien and how most people on the news and radio are referring to foreigners, and not little green men. Mine is still "The Girl From Ipanima", and although the Sherrie inside is tall, and tan, and young and lovely, the real one is tall...sure, tan...yep, young...perspective says that for some people 30 is young, and lovely??? let's just say pregnant. If anyone wants to tutor me on how to put music on my blog, I'll get these songs for you, and you can smile knowing that every time our little family gets into our big minivan, someone shouts "The Finger song", "No, The Alien song", "I want Chinese Chicken".