Teagan's Violin Lesson

One of Teagan's stronger personality traits is that of being a perfectionist, it is one that has long been a part of my family. It in and of itself is neither good nor bad but often manifests itself in a negative way. It can allow him to be really good at what he does. But it also drives him to spend too much time on a project trying to get it just right. But also experiencing utter frustration when it doesn't come out exactly the way it was expected to, and for his age and experience this is what happens more often than not. For many years we've been working on not allowing to let this get the better of him. There have been many a violin lesson when he touches bow to string and the lovely sound he's expecting to come forth never does at which point he shuts down and doesn't even want to try anymore because he feels like such a failure. It's absolutely heartbreaking to watch him go through this and yet such an achingly familiar feeling. All I can do is tell him that he did great, everyone makes mistakes, and he can only get better. Usually this just falls on deaf ears because he has such a hard time seeing his own progress. When his lesson starts to go this direction it is always very hard to then snap him out of, although he has one of the most kind and patient violin teachers in the world who usually manages to get him back on course and finish his lesson. Needless to say this makes it all the harder to make progress when there's not enough time in a lesson when he's not in a mood to go over what he needs to work on much less learn something new. Today Chamberlin took the kids to their violin lesson and he said Teagan did great today. I'm hoping that Teagan will start to feel more sure in his abilities playing the violin and we can start having more violin lessons like this!

Teagan at his lesson today

Violin Group Lesson

Today in group lesson their teacher had them partner up and work together to play through Twinkle Variation A.  One person held the violin and fingered the strings while the other one did all of the bowing. When she told them what they were going to do I had no idea how they would manage it but after a few hesitant notes they all just played. Now I'm not saying it was the best they've ever played but they made it all the way through the song without any real problem and without any harm coming to any violins. With Arowyn & Teagan being partnered up with each other there's never really any way of knowing how that will turn out much less with a delicate instrument in the balance. So I sat and watched with baited breath until it was over when I could smile and at how well they'd done, and breathe again.

Arowyn holding the notes
& Teagan bowing

Winter Violin Recital

Getting to watch the kids play at their recitals is so great. It takes a lot of confidence to get on a stage in front of people and play. Teagan being the gregarious little guy that he is loves every minute of it. Arowyn can get a little worried right before she has to go up, but once she starts walking up front all just seems to melt away. It's like taking that first step towards the stage is the hardest but once she's done that she puts her mind to it nothing is going to stop her. I don't always appreciate this characteristic about my daughter because when our views diverge on what she should be doing it's no easy task to get her to listen or comply. But when it comes to things like this I think it's great that that characteristic allows her to overcome any fear or doubt she may be having of being in front of people on stage. And when she's done playing and she walks back to me she has such a big smile on her face it always makes me smile. Between all of the recitals that the kids have for violin, dance, & ballet they have plenty of opportunities to work on being in front of people both in a group and on their own. The ability to be in front of people and act, play, or speak is something I never learned to do with confidence but I hope they will continue to master this skill as it is something that will serve them in so many ways later on in life.

 Everyone lined up to get their violin tuned

 Teagan talking to the piano accompanist 

 Teagan helping me calibrate my cameras 

light settings before the performance

 Teagan in resting position and looking handsome

 Teagan bowing

 Teagan Playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 

Variation A

 Arowyn Playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Variation A

 Arowyn bowing

 Everyone playing through the 

Twinkle Variations together

 Mrs. Kubin's Violin Students

 I couldn't pick which one of these I liked better 

because Teagan was being a such a goof in both of them

Karen with her students

Winter Violin Recital Rehearsal

Tonight the kids got to practice their recital pieces on stage before their recital tomorrow. When they're not on the stage playing they're sitting with their classmates chatting and having fun. What a great group of kids they are. Part of the time Arowyn manned my camera and took some pictures of her classmates on stage as well.

Arowyn Taking Pictures

 Teagan and his teacher

 Teagan Playing

 Arowyn Playing

 Arowyn concentrating on 

her fingers while playing

 Everyone playing

 Arowyn glancing at her teacher to 

make sure she's in sync

Teagan trying to look see who's watching 

him and still play at the same time

Christmas Piano Recital

Both Arowyn & Teagan were very excited to play in their first Christmas piano recital today. Arowyn picked out her song and has been practicing it for the past three months.  She wanted to play in this recital so bad because she wasn't far enough along to be able to learn a Christmas song in time for last year's Christmas recital so she's been putting in a lot of extra hard work on it this year. Since Arowyn got to pick out a new dress for the recital Teagan was ready to switch up his look as well for this performance. So we went to Teresa's Bridal and formal shop to let him pick out a new vest and bow tie (his choice he wanted to look like Dr. Who) to go with his suit for today, and he did a good job because he looked quite dashing in his suit today if I may say so myself.

Excitement at Violin

What a surprise we got when we pulled up to our violin teachers house today and found most of her front yard turned into a gaping hole and all kinds of really cool earth moving equipment sitting all around. While we were waiting for our turn we got to sit in the sitting room and watch in amazement as they placed a very large tube into the hole. Today during his lesson Teagan actually obeyed his teacher and instead of the customary whining and fidgeting got right down to business which was amazing due to all the excitement going on in the front yard.

 Walking from where we had to park to her house

 The front yard

Teagan playing Twinkle Variation A with his teacher

Truman Wind Symphony

We made it out to see the Truman Wind Symphony concert tonight. Arowyn & Teagan enjoyed the music and on schedule by the fourth song Teagan was completely gone. It was an overall beautiful performance though. And we especially enjoyed getting to see our dear friend Megan Hueber play the piano in the last two pieces.

Teagan down for the count

Megan playing the piano

More Megan

Megan again
(you might be sensing a theme here by now)

My quickly stitched photos
showing the whole orchestra

Megan being recognized

And last one of Megan

Drumming

Music seems to strike Arowyn like a bolt of lightning sometimes that no matter where she is or what she’s doing she either starts singing, or humming, tapping her feet or drumming on things with her hands and it doesn't stop until she has exhausted the inner rhythm that she seems to be feeling at the time. Today she must have been feeling that beat because she borrowed my cell phone for a while today and after I got it back I was looking through my cell phone’s photo/ video album and ran across these videos.

Arowyn drumming on the refrigerator

After hunting down her drum she repeats 

the rhythm from the refriderator door on her drum

Piano Practice

We learned this song last week but with being sick all this past week we just now got around to getting it on video. Although with the tired expression on Teagan’s face you can tell we’re still not completely over it. The drip off drool that comes pouring from his lip one third of the way through the song I thought was a particularly nice touch but I wasn’t about to make them have to play it again so here it is in all of its unpolished glory.

Arowyn & Teagan playing Merrily We Roll Along

Truman Fall Percussion Sampler

We got to go see anther concert over at Truman University tonight. The kids enjoyed the more boisterous feeling of the music played tonight. Halfway through the first song the conductor turned around facing the audience and then we heard voices behind us singing then the singers walked down the aisle and joined the musicians onstage. Arowyn’s eyes were as big as saucers and her jaw was slack as she watched this because she thought it was just “so cool.” Teagan on the other hand was enjoying the drums which had him practically vibrating in his seat because he was dying to jump up and down in his seat to the beat if I would just let him.

 Percussion Ensemble II performing "African Welcome Piece"

 Arowyn & Teagan taking in the music

Percussion Ensemble II performing "Immortal Dreams"

 Percussion Ensemble II performing "Slapshift"

 Statesman Marching Percussion Ensemble's warm-up

 Statesman Marching Percussion Ensemble performing "Free"

 Arowyn's still enjoying the music and 

 Teagan having very musical dreams

(how he can sleep through this I have no idea)