elliot’s stage // Piano Recital : 2012.01.22
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/35524750 w=590 h=330]
Elliot had her first piano recital in Tacoma yesterday—at University of Puget Sound’s Schneebeck Hall (where she also takes her weekly lessons.) Despite a bit of stage fright about having to introduce herself and her piece to the audience, she played wonderfully.
Elliot’s Stage // the big week
Sure, Elliot, you want to join the Glee club? OK, singing is a great skill to learn! Oh, and you want to be in the Peter Pan Musical? You bet—you love that story and it will be a fun experience.
Oh, wait—you mean your Glee Club recital and you Peter Pan performances and your piano studio recital are all on the same week . . . !!??
What did we get ourselves into??!
Yes, all of Elliot’s various activities somehow managed to culminate in performances during the same week. Fortunately, there was no ballet performance added to the list. We basically lived in the Veteran’s Memorial Hall where both her Glee club recital and Peter Pan performances were held. We also spent whatever time we could carve out in front of the Piano—along with several early mornings before school at her piano studio—practicing her pieces. And I have to say she handled it incredibly well (better than her parents!) She even got sad when her early morning duet practices were over . . .
And before you grandmothers and great grandmothers and other “loving worriers” out there worry—she also got a lot of free play time. Perhaps not as much as usual, but still some. And lesson learned: find out when performances are before committing to activities!
Below are photos and videos from Elliot’s big performance week.
piano recital
featuring her first public performance of a song using both hands as well as her first performance of a duet (with friend Gabriella Sebastiani.) :
glee club recital
Elliot and her two friends Matea (center) and Jocelyn (right) by themselves on a large stage in a packed auditorium—fearless girls! :
Peter Pan
Elliot played a Lost Girl, The Bluebird of Happiness and a Fairy Friend and was joined in this production by her friends Kate and Gabriella. This is a memory she’ll always treasure—she thrived being back stage and bonding with the other kids :
Dancing her heart out at the cast party:
Playing with her congratulatory balloon at Taste of the Himalayas after her final performance:
Elliot composes
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/42061507 w=590 h=330]Not an uncommon sight around the house—Elliot loves to compose her own songs by transcribing in a string of notes as she made it up . . .
Recital, diner
tickling the ivories
Last fall, Sarah was invited to a presentation by a local Suzuki-wielding piano teacher for parents of children at Elliot’s preschool. Sarah was impressed by the teacher, but we weren’t sure Elliot was ready for piano.
This sentiment changed a month later when we went home for the holidays and Elliot gravitated with great interest towards the pianos at both our parents’ homes. Seeing her wonder and delight at the twinkling black and white keys made us realize that it’s never too early to indulge a child in a passion for music.
So, returning back to Sonoma, we called up the teacher and said, “sign us up!” As luck would have it, the teacher needed some creative work done for her piano studio business and suggested we trade services. Before we knew it, Elliot was taking lessons and THRIVING. She’s taken to piano like a fish to water and revels in learning and performing. We couldn’t be prouder. We don’t know how long this will last, but we’re enjoying every minute of it . . . !
click through for more photos . . .
twinkle twinkle.
Elliot recently started piano lessons with a teacher who uses the Suzuki method. After only a few weeks, she’s learned to play her first song—with proper fingering and all!
elliot hours 