Being a Dad...

[StoopTroup]

My Daughter has taken piano lessons since she was 4 years old. She turned 12 in February. Tonight is her Annual Concert in which she will be performing 2 pieces. The first one is "Bella's Lullaby" from the movie Twilight and the 2nd is "The Erl King" by Franz Schubert (1797-1828).

Anyway...she has become quite a good piano player and her Mother and I are very proud of all her hard work.

She had left a youtube video up on the computer the other day and I clicked on it and it was the band "Owl City" and the song was "Fireflies". I suddenly got the weirdest feeling and maybe it's just the Father thing...but I can see her playing in a band on keyboards like the gal does in this video.

YMIywEYlvdI&feature=related

Anyway...it's cool to see your kids grow up and dream big.

To all of you with kids and kids around you...give those kids a chance to dream and encourage them to play an instrument. You just never know how things will turn out.

ST

IoBoeg-oyBA

K7vWqMgHZrk

[SunnySooner]

lol, ST, my son takes guitar lessons, he was learning Fireflies the other day, must be big in that bunch!!

And congrats to your baby girl for doing so well, piano is hard, takes commitment and determination--keep up the good work!!

[Boomer.....]

Very cool ST! Congrats on raising such a talented musician.

[StoopTroup]

Thanks Sunny and Boomer!

[SoonerJack]

True dat ST. Check out my son's band at www.myspace.com/themarinerofficial (http://www.myspace.com/themarinerofficial)

He and several friends have been playing together for the last 4-ish years. No big break yet, but they are having a blast playing small shows and such.

[JohnnyMack]

My kid crapped his pants this morning.

[goingoneight]

You can't encourage kids enough. Even if all it ever gets is rolled eyes and attitude, they'll appreciate you caring one day, even if they didn't become a millionaire musician, POTUS or a rocket scientist.

good deal, ST.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Very cool.

[badger]

My parents had me take lessons from age 5-18. I must admit that I never became a little virtuoso... partly because of my own discouragement through the years of having an older brother who was incredibly good at piano, partly because my tiny hands really didn't have much reach for some more complex pieces.

Alas, I've missed piano and it has made me a really fast typer (this is why posts here are so long - because I can hammer out in a few seconds what takes all of you a few minutes) and also helped me transition to the instrument I was much better at due to only three keys: trumpet. My brother went the exactly opposite route on his second intrument - quit after 8th grade, but continued to kick arse at piano.

Anyway, it is a wonderful gift to give your child (piano lessons, I mean). Just make sure they practice as often as they'll tell their teacher they did and stick with it, even as other school activities take over in jr high/high school.

[GottaHavePride]

Good for the daughter, ST! When she hits high-school, tell her to make sure all the band / orchestra people know she plays piano, because they'll all need an accompanist for contest, and that's a GREAT way for a pianist to make some extra cash. ;)

Man, Der Erlkönig is carpal-tunnel waiting to happen. There's words to it, too. (Side-note, I'd translate the title to Elf-King rather than Erl-King.) The text is by Goethe - same poet who wrote Faust.

SOiMVPSzr7E


Who's riding so late where winds blow wild
It is the father grasping his child;
He holds the boy embraced in his arm,
He clasps him snugly, he keeps him warm.

"My son, why cover your face in such fear?"
"You see the elf-king, father? He's near!
The king of the elves with crown and train!"
"My son, the mist is on the plain."

'Sweet lad, o come and join me, do!
Such pretty games I will play with you;
On the shore gay flowers their color unfold,
My mother has many garments of gold.'

"My father, my father, and can you not hear
The promise the elf-king breathes in my ear?"
"Be calm, stay calm, my child, lie low:
In withered leaves the night-winds blow."

'Will you, sweet lad, come along with me?
My daughters shall care for you tenderly;
In the night my daughters their revelry keep,
They'll rock you and dance you and sing you to sleep.'

"My father, my father, o can you not trace
The elf-king's daughters in that gloomy place?"
"My son, my son, I see it clear
How grey the ancient willows appear."

'I love you, your comeliness charms me, my boy!
And if you're not willing, my force I'll employ.'
"Now father, now father, he's seizing my arm.
Elf-king has done me a cruel harm."

The father shudders, his ride is wild,
In his arms he's holding the groaning child,
Reaches the court with toil and dread. -
The child he held in his arms was dead.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

took piano lessons from ages 6 to 18, wrote a few songs, but probably the proudest competition I won was a contest were someone played a short piece and we were to write out what we heard on music composition paper...I made the highest score in the state, getting it 100% correct...

I played bassoon, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, clarinet, piano and even some banjo to appease my country family..I look back at it and am very thankful..

Your daughter is a beautiful young lady who can do whatever she wants to do in life....Im sure she is amazing at the keys

[Jello Biafra]

o

my


gack



not firefly

!!!!

[Collier11]

Fireflies is a horrible song, dont let her listen to that stuff :D


Seriously though, its a cool deal Stoop. Im sure your kids will grow up to do great things because you are a true parent who cares

[Collier11]

My kid crapped his pants this morning.

Is this Cru?

[sooneron]

My kid sharted 3 times today. So far...

[Tulsa_Fireman]

I was a skin flautist back in the day.

NTTAWWT.

[AlbqSooner]

Goodonya ST. Making music lessons available to your kids and encouraging them is really rewarding to them as well as you.

My second wife was a Juilliard trained concert pianist who gave it up and went to law school. Some years later a high school chum of hers brought said chum's 6 year old daughter to a recital that Karen played. The kiddo decided she wanted to play piano so her mom got her started on piano lessons.

One night mom is reading the paper while daughter is practicing. When daughter finished one piece, she she said, "Mom, after piano season I think I want to - - -" at which time Mom interrupted her.

"Piano Season?"

"Yeah, Piano Season."

"Honey there isn't a piano season. You play piano all year long, forever."

"HUH???? Oh forget THAT!"

End of piano lessons for the kiddo.:D

[yankee]

True dat ST. Check out my son's band at www.myspace.com/themarinerofficial (http://www.myspace.com/themarinerofficial)

He and several friends have been playing together for the last 4-ish years. No big break yet, but they are having a blast playing small shows and such.

good stuff right there.

[Turd_Ferguson]

My kid crapped his pants this morning.So did mine. I told him to get used to it. Just cause he graduated HS on Monday, doesn't mean it will stop anytime soon...in fact, it'll get worse as the years go by.


Oh and, good job ST!! I'm hop'n one of my offspring will help me retire early:D

[delhalew]

That's awesome ST! My 3 year old daughter grabs my acoustic guitar and strums and sings. It sounds awful, but she does it right...exept for the whole fretting chords thing.:D
I better get to work if I'm going to afford piano lessons. I always wish I had piano lessons. I've got the hands for it.

[stoopified]

My Daughter has taken piano lessons since she was 4 years old. She turned 12 in February. Tonight is her Annual Concert in which she will be performing 2 pieces. The first one is "Bella's Lullaby" from the movie Twilight and the 2nd is "The Erl King" by Franz Schubert (1797-1828).

Anyway...she has become quite a good piano player and her Mother and I are very proud of all her hard work.

She had left a youtube video up on the computer the other day and I clicked on it and it was the band "Owl City" and the song was "Fireflies". I suddenly got the weirdest feeling and maybe it's just the Father thing...but I can see her playing in a band on keyboards like the gal does in this video.

YMIywEYlvdI&feature=related

Anyway...it's cool to see your kids grow up and dream big.

To all of you with kids and kids around you...give those kids a chance to dream and encourage them to play an instrument. You just never know how things will turn out.

ST

IoBoeg-oyBA

K7vWqMgHZrkDo you REALLY want baby girl to be a proffesional musician in a band? What about the GROUPIES? :)