Ebony and Ivory Friday

Happy day after Thanksgiving, everyone!  Some call this day Black Friday, a day for saving beaucoup bucks at the shopping mall; I prefer Ebony and Ivory Friday, an extra day of piano playing with no specific agenda, just the joy of making music for all the family to enjoy. 

Speaking of joyful music, our post-Halloween recital was a Big Hit!  Thank you to all who participated, including Naomi, Michael, Radar, Josie, Anda, and Reese.  Each of you worked hard to learn your pieces, even while I was on vacation.  I am so proud of you!  Pastor Deb of Centennial United Methodist Church was especially moved by your performance and extended an invitation to play something appropriate at the Candlelight Tour of Historic Houses of Worship on December 26.  Let me know your interest.

In lieu of lessons over the holidays, the Frederick County Music Teachers Association will sponsor a Holiday Recital on Saturday, December 28, at 2:30.at Homewood at Crumland Farms, 7407 Willow Road, Frederick.  Mark your calendars now.  Registration deadline is December 7.  Please fill out Video Authorization Form for this one.  I am hoping everyone will participate in this event.

Enough of me pecking at the computer keys.  Each of you can get back to Ebony and Ivory Friday and make a joyful noise on your piano.  I’ll see you all this next week, when we’ll start to polish your holiday performance pieces. 

And it worked!

And it worked!  I took a 2-week vacation, left my students with a Practice Challenge to practice every day with a critical ear, to listen for a steady tempo, a crisp staccato, a convincing phrase.  Upon my return, they each had one lesson before our post-Halloween recital.  I was so pleased!  They were prepared to perform.  A little tweaking, perhaps, here and there, but these kids knew their music, and certainly convinced me.

We held our post-Halloween recital last night.  Seven of us performed, including myself.  (A revelation from my last recital -- my students never hear me perform, so why not put myself in the program?)  We played in a 119 year old church downtown, and the acoustics were great!   The space was filled with creepy Halloween music oozing from the rafters.  Oh, I was thrilled!  Special thanks to Naomi, Michael, Reese, Radar, Josie and Ande for sharing their talent.  I think we had 30 people in the audience.  And thank you, Christena, for the cupcakes!

Almost forgot.  After the performance, while we mingled and enjoyed cupcakes and sparkling cider, the kids continued to entertain us on 2 pianos, at the same time!  I think everyone played through their Halloween pieces again, and played other favorites.  A musical montage.  Oh, I loved it!