Sunday, December 14, 2008

Musical Extravaganza!

This weekend has been a whirlwind of Musical Stuffs!

Saturday night was (finally) the kids' Christmas pageant. It was called It's A Wonder-Full Life, and it was about a boy who wished he could get rid of all the religious stuff and get straight to the presents because he was tired of having to work so hard in his church Christmas play every year. Josie was in it, and played a child whose part in the play-in-a-play was Mary, so my little Pea was dressed up as the Virgin Mary! It was so cute!!!! Also, she had a solo, and she sounded so beautiful!!!! And, I am NOT AT ALL biased. At ALL. Nope. It was a great, funny play, with a lot of laughter and costumes and choreography.

This morning, the adult choir, which I am in, did a Christmas Cantata that took the place of the regular sermon - basically, we sang a sermon comprised of various pieces about the shepherds, since it's the third week of Advent this Sunday, and the third candle is for the shepherds. We had been rehearsing and rehearsing and REHEARSING for the past few weeks, including two hours on the past few Saturday mornings in addition to our regular times. Our music director is also the choir teacher at a local magnet school for the arts, so his chamber choir also came to sing with us, AND we had an orchestra play with us, too!!! It was great. I love being able to be a part of things like this. Choir is really both a source and an outlet for joy to me, and this is one of the best times of year to be there. The pieces we did today were really, really difficult, and they pushed my range WAY higher, which is also good (now that it's done). Tomorrow night a group of us are going caroling at a local elder-care home, which I am both looking forward to because I like caroling and I like to make people happy, but am also dreading a tiny bit because, well, it is what it is. I remember going to those places as a high schooler and having a lot of the people not even really know we were there, which made it a really rough experience. I know we'll have fun, though, and the people will appreciate it.

Also this morning, Josie played the prelude at her piano teacher's church (her teacher is the music director there, across town from where we go), on the ORGAN!!!! Apparently, as long as you aren't fiddling with the buttons, it's a lot like playing the piano, except you play an octave higher or something. So, my baby played the huge pipe organ at a 200+ year old church today. I wasn't there, because I was doing the cantata, but DH took her, and she said she had a great time and really liked it. Her piano teacher told DH afterward that he thinks she should take organ lessons as well, and could probably get a job playing organ for a church as a teenager on Sunday mornings, and make a good deal of money. He really is a lovely man, is constantly telling us how gifted she is and what a pleasure she is to teach, and typically extends her lesson well over the allotted time at no charge, sometimes spending a full hour with her just because he wants to. Josie, in turn, really loved the idea of taking organ lessons, and of course loved the idea of being able to do it for a living someday, so now I'm debating as to whether to let her do that or not. I don't think her regular teacher teaches organ, just piano, so it would mean another lesson during the week, and of course more money. On the one hand, he really thinks that she's gifted, and I've had several other people tell me that as well, and I don't want to hold her back, but on the other I don't want her to be overscheduled, either. Then, too, there's Patrick to consider: Josie has a lot going on, and he really doesn't have anything, other than the kids' choir at church. He could probably use a physical outlet during the winter, but that would mean even *more* money out of our pockets. Maybe I could get him into something at the Y again, that would be cheap. Ugh, and I don't want to live in my car, either. Down by the river. (five points if you get that reference!)

Any thoughts? Should I let her take organ? Is it too much? Am I holding her back if I don't? Ugh. She already has Battle of the Books once a week from January through March, kids' choir once a week, and piano once a week. Then, in the spring, there will be softball that will take the place of BotB. Maybe if I could talk her piano teacher into combining her lesson with organ, that would just make what she already has a little longer rather than adding another day. Sigh.

9 comments:

DAVs said...

Hey thanks for stopping by the blog. I added a little edit after your comment...it's not that we get tons of advice but it does keep coming up, ie when are you going to adopt? Have you started filling out those papers? I hope I didn't come off as rude, I wasn't meaning to be yelling :)

Our church did their cantata this morning with a small orchestra and it was magnificent--all in Latin. I love love love the Christmas cantata! Glad you participated in yours.

Not Your Aunt B said...

That's awesome! What a musically gifted family. Trust me, NO ONE would want to hear any of us sing or play the organ. Not even the deaf.

I would talk to the piano teacher and see if he can work out a deal. Maybe they need an organ player for the smaller services and that could pay for lessons? I never even took piano lessons so I have no idea how these things work. That's awesome she is so talented though.

AndreAnna said...

How fun! Charlotte keeps asking for a piano for Christmas. Her father and I have no muscial ability whatsoever so I'm hoping she transcends her genetics. We got her a keyboard. She's two. We'll discuss a baby Grand in a few years. LOL

Southern jezeBelle said...

SNL: the motivational speaker LIVED IN A VAN...DOWN BY THE RIVER!! I feel certain it was John Candy....but maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe Jack Black. I feel like it was before Jack Black's time though and I'm seeing them both in my head.

Anyway---just wanted the five points. :) Keep a tally...are there brownies involved?

clueless but hopeful mama said...

Very impressive! I have NO advice about what to do about Josie's impressive talents except to be so proud!

Also, I'm happy to read your blog (for lots of reasons but especially) because it is a good slap upside the head whenever I think this parenthood gig will get easier some day. Because HOLY HELL I would have no idea how to make decisions like this!

Cherish said...

Im bad at overscheduling my kids but Im always worried that Ill end up holding them back from their passion.

Totally didnt help you out there at all :( sorry

Kristi said...

I get the reference! I get the reference! Matt Foley the motivational speaker!! He was played by Chris Farley. I loved that skit!!!!

Y'all are one seriously musically gifted family. I can't carry a tune in a bucket!!

creative kerfuffle said...

absolutely awesome about all the musical celebrations. don't you just swell w/ pride at all that josie's accomplished!? i ditto the advice on asking the piano teacher to teach organ too (or maybe finding one that does both) cos it sounds like you will be living down by the river w/ chris farley if not. i don't know how you keep up w/ all of that : )
but yes, i understand not wanting to hold them back. it's tough sometimes. but, i also think overscheduling is so common these days and kids get stressed out.

arbee said...

It's awesome that you're such a musical family! I don't have a musical bone in my body...yes, I know music is numbers...but learning anything musical just won't stick! Which is really sad, since my maternal grandmother was the organist at her church for as long as I can remember.

How amazing that your daughter can play the organ. Keeping fingers crossed you can figure out how to help her develop her obvious talent! :)