Project 19 to 19: Day #4

Video Game Master

Like so many of his generation, Wonder Boy has been completely enamored with video games from a very early age. Back when this photo was taken in 2004, we severely limited his time "on the box" and only got him games with an educational spin.


The game shown here was his favorite for a long time - a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse game that focused on the alphabet and colors. It was bright and colorful and had a bubbly sound track to accompany it.

Since those early days, the Boy has delved into all things video game related. He spent time building levels on games he purchased. He has programmed his own games. He has sketched out all his favorite characters. And he's learned to bang out some of the tunes featured in his favorite games on his piano or guitar.

In short, there is very little aspect about video games which the Boy has not explored.

As of late, he has been all but obsessed with the musical aspect of his favorite games. He wakes up in the morning humming those tunes. Once class is over, he likes to pluck a tune on his guitar or dabble around on the piano. Sometimes he will send us the link to a video on YouTube. And any time we take a car ride togehter, his favorite topic is discussion the types of music in his favorite games, especially those he enjoyed when he was young.

All of that talk must be seeping into my subconscious because I find myself being drawn to game music too. The Boy and I had recently been talking about one of his first truly favorite games - Little Big Planet. And just by a strange twist of fate, one of its most iconic songs ended up in my YouTube play list the very next day!


Wonder Boy and his dad must have played that game for a good solid year, only moving on when the Little Big Planet 2 was released. I do not have a flair for game play, but LPB was so pretty and the music so captivating that I couldn't help but spend hours watching them play.

The screenshot above was from my favorite level, called "the Wedding Reception" and the video below is the song that plays throughout the level. Thanks to my boy, it now has a permanent home on my playlist!

Project 18 to 18: Day 17

A Creative Spirit

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” – Steve Jobs

From an early age I have marveled at the Boy's creativity. And as he does with most things, he tends to jump into the deep end of the pool with little regard for the steps that most folks take when picking up something new.

After months of watching YouTube videos on Spray Paint Art, the spring break pictured below was spent trying his hand at this art form. He didn't start small, he picked up his paints, set up a table on the back porch, donned his mask and gloves and got to work! It was a fun experiment! I was impressed with even his earliest of attempts, but ever the perfectionist, the Boy would never claim any skill with a spray can.


I simply cannot explain how much it pleases me when the Boy gets creative at the piano! You just haven't lived until you've heard his ragtime rendition of Ronda a la Turca!

Whether is it altering a piece from one key to another or, like in the previous example, changing up the rhythms in sometimes not so subtle ways to mimic another style all together than what was conceived by the original composer, the Boy has always had a knack for improvising at the keys!

I suspect he would never claim this as a creative expression but rather some form of problem solving or at least just changing the landscape of a particular puzzle. However, I can see it for what it is - his creative juices spilling out into everything he touches!

Project 18 to 18: Day 13

Voilà!

OK. It's VIOLA, not voilà, but the Boy likes to play around with his pronunciation when he talks about his instruments and his viola is no different - so we have come to accept that any word that starts with a V and likely ends in an A probably translates to viola.

This is the instrument that really started it all for the Boy. We had tried to tempt him with an electric key board several years prior to his start in the 5th Grade orchestra, but nothing truly took hold until he got his hands on his first viola. I will always remember how after getting in his viola practice minutes one afternoon, he came downstairs and pronounced that he thought he could play his viola music on his keyboard if he knew which notes were which on the piano.

So the viola was the stepping stone to learning the piano. In addition, his time at the piano eventually led him to the guitar. And who knows if the guitar will be just one more link in a chain of musical studies the Boy entertains?

But it STARTED with the viola and I am truly thankful that it did as our house has been full of music ever since and I treasure it beyond measure!


Our picture for today is the Boy's bright and shiny viola. For many years we rented a viola each school year for him. I didn't realize this when he joined the orchestra, but string instruments vary in size based on YOUR size - it's like finding a pair of shoes that fits. And the instruments grow along with the child, up to a point, of course. And that is why for many years it made more sense to rent rather than to buy.

But as the boy started to reach his adult size and remained committed to orchestra and his viola studies, we knew it was time for him to have an instrument that was truly his own. So one Christmas he opened a very small box left under the tree with a coupon for a trip to a string shop near Houston before he was to return to school for the spring semester.

He was very excited and the whole family packed up and made the drive to check out Lisle String Shop. When we left home, Wonder Dad and I were every bit as excited as the Boy. But as we neared the shop, Wonder Boy grew progressively quieter. And by the time we stepped through the doors of the shop, he had retreated completely into some self-conscious shell.

The shop attendant brought out several instruments for the Boy to sample and get a feel for which he liked best, but the more we tried to get him to play, the quieter he became and the more frustrated Wonder Dad and I became. A drive like this is not something we do on a whim. We have to arrange care for the dogs. We have to fight traffic and in this case, had to struggle with directions to an unfamiliar place in a construction area to boot. *sigh*

Tensions rose higher and higher until at last we were able to cajole the Boy to play enough to make an informed decision on which instrument would accompany him home.

The drive home was almost as strained as the time we had spent in the shop, but eventually, everyone relaxed and the concert that we enjoyed in the days remaining in the Christmas holidays almost made the struggle worth it all.

Seriously though, this instrument has a truly wonderful sound at the hands of our favorite musician. It is smooth and warm and inviting and once we were all able to put bruised feelings aside, we have all agreed that we are glad the Boy was able to upgrade his instrument!

Project 18 to 18: Day 9

Canción Bonita

I highlight it every year because it is truly an integral part of Wonder Boy's life and this year is no different. Today we're talking about music, of course!

From the very earliest of days, long before he even realized he was listening to music, the Boy was instinctively drawn to a catchy tune. We would catch him bouncing along to some melody coming from the television while he played with his toys. I recall a day when the Boy was still barely a toddler; we were looking at speakers in an audio-video store and the Boy put on a one-man dance show while we sampled the various options in the shop, completely oblivious to all of the adults in the room. He was in his own world, engulfed by the music used for the demos!

In our look back to 2009, we see our Boy getting into the swing of things as part of his elementary school's sing-along program! We found a cowboy hat at Goodwill that fit, a western-themed bandana, and a snap-up plaid shirt in his favorite color (blue!) and sent him off to school. I was so thrilled to see him with a paper guitar for the show! He and his classmates strummed out some good, ole fashioned country tunes that afternoon and put on a show I am not likely to forget any time soon.


Catching up to today, we see the Boy picking out a tune before school to the delight of myself and the dogs! His guitar is rarely far from hand when he is at home. It has become his go-to instrument and I have noticed that he puts not only more time into honing his skills on this instrument, but more of himself into each piece when he practices his guitar.

A few months ago, we spent a lovely Friday evening listening to the Boy practice. And at the end of his session, he allowed me to take a short video of one of the pieces he had been working on for his instructor. It's truly a lovely piece and I am glad he let me capture it!

Project 17 to 17: Day 16

As we near the end of this little project, we're going to focus in on a little viola love!

Last night the Boy got an early birthday present from his Dad and I ... a new bow for his beloved viola! We researched and then searched high and low to find just the right bow - our local supply is a bit lacking, so mostly this took place on-line. We had a little scare that it might not be delivered in time, but the stars aligned and his package arrive with a few days to spare.

Normally, we wouldn't dream of letting him get his hands on a present days early, but the day AFTER his birthday is his Region Orchestra tryouts for this year. And we wanted to make sure he had a few days to "break in" his new equipment before the big day.

As a special gift, the Boy treated us to about an hour of viola practice! It is always nice to have him play for us. Recently he has primarily opted for his guitar when he's in the mood to perform, so getting a viola concert was a bit of a treat for us! And to top it off, he brought it out again this morning for a quick practice run before he had to leave for early sectional rehearsals at school. I'm a very lucky lady indeed!


In our glance back at 2016, we see the Boy just a couple of days before his first concert of the school year. I used the fact that we had to verify that his tux still fit properly to squeeze in a little photo shoot on the back porch.

The concert that followed was truly beautiful, as they have all been.

It amazes me how far he has come as a musician since picking up his first little viola back in fifth grade. It was joining the orchestra that ignited his desire to learn to play the piano and eventually the guitar as well.

I do not know if I can ever express to his orchestra directors the depth of the gift they have given to him; to the whole family really!

I'm going to soak up the music while it lasts and hope that he will continue to play long after he has moved on past high school!

Project 16 to 16: Day 5

It's Day 5 of our count down to Wonder Boy's big day. And today I am going to again talk about something of which I have mentioned every year, I am sure: the role that music plays in the boy's life!


For the past few months, the boy has started playing around with this classical guitar. He starts official lessons in a few days, but he had made some really incredible gains on his own. And, at present, I enjoy hearing his guitar practice more than any other instrument he plays (& that is saying something because I really love them all)!

Looking back, we see our dear Boy in 2005, conducting the soundtrack to the movie Fantasia. Even at such a young age he was drawn to classical music. As the movie began, he would take center stage in the living room, raise his hands with the conductor, and completely steal the show for all of us present. As the screen faded into the cartoonist's interpretation of the notes, Wonder Boy began to dance and sway around the room. It was a show I truly miss seeing. But more than that, I think it was a glimpse into the importance music will always be to our Boy.

I am glad the Boy has music in his life. I have seen it bring peace when he was troubled. I have seen it echo the joy and glee felt on the best of days. And I have seen it focus his thoughts when he was anxious or having trouble getting settled.

And maybe the best part is that music is a blessing that can be shared!

Project 15 to 15: Day 14

We're nearing the end of this year's birthday countdown project and I have really been enjoying it!

For Day 14, I wanted to highlight another musical part of the Boy's life: his piano


Wonder Boy loves his viola, but I have to admit, what I love to hear him practice is the piano! I don't care what time of day or night he wants to play - if he's in the mood to play, I'm in the mood to listen! His skill has grown quite a bit over the last few years and it is a true joy to listen to him play. He's not a big fan of jazz, but he loves classical music and some ragtime as well. Honestly, I don't care if he's just practicing scales, it's all music to my ears!

In looking back to 2014, I wanted to share this snap of the Boy at the start of a summer camp on the campus where his dad and I work:


There is so much I love about this snap. This camp started a string a summer camps that has truly brought Wonder Boy a lot of joy over the last few years, for one thing. And it opened his eyes to University life. He's talked about college since kindergarten, I think, but there was something about attending classes on the TAMU campus that really awakened that desire in him. Right now, he says he wants to go to college right here at dear, old TAMU, which is where his dad and I both went to school. It would give me great joy to share that with him some day. But I really and truly just want him to go where his heart leads him. And I know Wonder Dad feels the same way.

Project 15 to 15: Day 9

For Day 9 of our count down to Wonder Boy's 15th birthday, I wanted to highlight his love of music with this snap I took during his viola practice of the day:


I've shared it many times here, but the Boy has developed a real love of music, especially classical music over the past 4 years or so. His dad and I are both music lovers and have played all manner of music for him since he came into this world. But things really took off when he joined the orchestra in 5th grade. He enjoys orchestra. It's his biggest social activity. But it's also a means of expression for him as well as a personal challenge. This morning on the drive to school, he was telling me about some of the advanced students in orchestra - those that he admires and aspires to emulate. I have been so pleased that he made the commitment to stay with orchestra into high school and hope that he will continue with it as long as possible.

In looking back to 2009, I stumbled on this photo of the Boy at a judo belt test:


Oddly enough, as part of this yearly project, I haven't shared many judo photos. For many years though, judo (and other martial arts) was the Boy's biggest confidence booster. What he lacked in size and strength, he made up for with determination and dedication. There were/are so many gifts from being involved in the martial arts for so many years. But for me, seeing the Boy grow in self confidence and in his ability to focus on a desired goal (like earning a new belt or mastering a particular technique) was the best part. I am thankful to every coach, sensei, instructor, and partner he had during his time in martial arts. I hope they all know that he carries a part of them with him where ever he goes.

Fall Premiere

Woo hoo! It's concert season again for the Boy and his pals in the middle school orchestra!

This term has seen the Boy move up to the more advanced orchestra at his school. And with that move, the music has gotten exponentially more difficult. But it has also gotten even more beautiful to hear!

2015 Fall Symphony Orchestra Concert

We have all been looking forward to this performance. I know that Wonder Boy has been a bit nervous, but the time he has spent practicing has really paid off.


The concert was just as wonderful as I knew it would be. And the only drawback is that it has me itching for their next performance (less than a month away!).

Project 14 to 14: Day 5

I had to wait a while today to get this post done because I really wanted to highlight this part of Wonder Boy's world:


This is the boy and his instructor, Mr. J, at piano lessons! The first year or so the Boy was in lessons, he went through 3 different instructors until we finally landed with Mr. J. All of them were great people and they were all so encouraging in getting the Boy started down this musical road. But Mr. J has been such an important part of the Boy's development at the keys. Mr. J makes lessons fun and exciting - even when working routine scales and pieces. The Boy works very hard to earn Mr. J's praise and we look for that smile on Mr. J's face at the end of each lesson. And Mr. J has been such a blessing all around to our Boy. He has come to hear orchestra performances. He introduced the Boy (& the rest of the family) to a Percussion Studio on campus. He encourages and inspires at every turn!

Lessons are on Friday nights, which is just the perfect way for Wonder Boy to wind down after a long week of school and homework. I know the Boy looks forward to these lessons as much as we look forward to hearing him practice!

In our look back today, we flash back to the Summer of 2005:


Here we see the boy working on a Shrek puzzle. He has always been a fan of puzzles, problems, and brain teasers. And, as you can see here, he started at an early age. But one thing that has always flabbergasted me is that he never solved puzzles in the way I was taught to solve them. For me, I always started with the edges and then matched things up by color until I found a match. However, Wonder Boy never worked that way - he always matched things up by shape. It used to take me by surprise when he would try to match a one piece to another when they were obviously not the same color. I asked him once why he did it that way and he just shrugged and said that it looked like the shape would fit.

It was one of those ah-ha moments for me, where I truly understood that this little person was NOT an extension of myself or his father. That his is completely his own self. At this young age, it can be hard to remember that. But every day I see more and more evidence of this kind of thing. Personally, I get a lot of satisfaction seeing the Boy's unique personality emerging. He's a fun guy to be around and I am enjoying this stage as much as I can!

Spring Recital

Showcasing their UIL performance pieces, this week we got to enjoy the full school orchestra playing together. That is, all 7th and 8th grade orchestra students (both Symphonic and Philharmonic groups) came together for tonight's show.

As is usually the case, hearing the full concert piece of music is quite thrilling. We generally only get to hear Wonder Boy's line during his afternoon practices, so when the full group comes together, it's always a treat. But this concert was exceptionally enjoyable since both groups played together. Below you can watch the full performance.

Spring Orchestra Full Concert

The first 3 pieces played are the ones they performed for UIL. The others were recruiting pieces they played at area elementary schools this spring to encouraging in-coming 5th graders to give Orchestra a try.


We are so proud to report that the group did very well in competition this year, earning a superior rating for both their UIL performance as well as their concert at the Bluebonnet Music Festival in San Antonio. And while we are a little sad to be attending the final show of the school year, it sure gives us something to look forward to for next fall.

Sights & Sounds of the Season

Our tradition is that, the day after Thanksgiving, we kick off the Christmas season by putting up the Christmas tree. We rushed that by a day this year since Nanny was in town for Thanksgiving and starting dragging out boxes and lights and tinsel as soon as the turkey feast was cleared from the table.


I'll admit though, despite all of the Christmas cheer around the house, I have had a hard time getting into the spirit this season. I'm not really sure why that is the case. We did our shopping early, so I'm not dealing with the stress of holiday crowds and frenetic shopping. Maybe it's work. Maybe it's just the hot-then-cold weather (but that's pretty typical for TX at this time of year). I don't know. I've just had a hard time FEELING IT, this year.

But that has all changed in the last few days.

So what sparked the big change, you ask? It's actually a very simple answer - Christmas tunes! Wonder Boy loves everything Christmas: the lights, the tree, the specials on TV, the PRESENTS, and Christmas carols! He belts out his holiday favorites in the shower, in the car on the way to school, judo, and anywhere else we might travel. He even reads (in his head) questions on his math test to the tune of his favorite holiday anthems (he admitted to that one yesterday when I asked about the math test)!

So I wanted to share with you a few of the tunes we are enjoying this season. Hopefully they will inspire you the way they have our family!

Straight No Chaser - The 12 Days of Christmas:

Straight No Chaser - The Christmas Can-Can:

Straight No Chaser - The Nutcracker:

The Bobs - Mambo Santa Mambo:

Los Straightjackets - God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen:

Los Straightjackets - Feliz Navidad:

There are many more tunes, of course. But these are the ones that are being played (& belted out) most often!

Take care and Merry Christmas to you all!

Winter Interlude

As the fall semester draws to a close, one of our most anticipated moments finally creeps up on the calendar - Wonder Boy's winter orchestra concert! Now that he's in his second year of orchestra, an additional in-school concert was added for Veteran's Day back in November, but the BIG showcase for the fall semester is still the Winter Concert.

As in semesters past, Wonder Boy and his pals in the orchestra have been working for months to polish up a couple of special numbers for us and the concert was every bit as enjoyable as last winter and spring. In fact, in many ways is was even more enjoyable as the pieces they performed were longer and more complicated for these young musicians.


I have mentioned it in the past (& will probably mention it time and again), but it never fails to amaze me how far this group has come in such a short time. They hit the ground running the very first week of school and haven't slowed down one bit as they have prepared for two concerts already!

Here is your chance to listen to the winter concert. I apologize for the shaky video - I forgot to bring the tripod (oops!). The music is great regardless of my unsteady hand.

6th Grade Orchestra Winter Concert

I am confident that, after listening to them play their hearts out, you will understand why I can hardly wait until their next performance!

It's In the Fingers

Wonder Boy continues to amaze the two of us when it comes to his musical abilities. His piano lessons are going so well and he seems to just soak in music in ways we can only dream about.

He is getting more and more confident reading music. But what still just makes my jaw drop is to watch him pick out a tune by ear. He'll sit down and bang away until he finds the right combination of keys. And really, it doesn't take too long at all. Some times he'll even change the key a bit and play the same tune in a new way. Seriously, this just blows me away.


After listening to him the other day, Wonder Dad asked what he was doing (it sounded to us like he was working out another new number) and Wonder Boy replied that he was getting the new piece "in his fingers."

I just loved the way he phrased it.

To him, that's where the music lies ... in his hands.

Even when he's working on a new assignment, it may take his hands a little time to catch up with what he knows in his head. So he practices and practices in order to translate the music to his fingers.

I wish my fingers worked like that.

Fur Elise

Not a lot of time for updates, summer is in full swing and keeping us all quite occupied.

However, Wonder Boy is still spending quite a lot of quality time with his keyboard, so I thought I'd post this little update until we have time for some real posts.

Enjoy!


Fur Elise

You just cannot imagine all the music in our home these days. I'll try and get some more videos in the days/weeks to come.

For now, you'll just have to replay this one. :+)

Two Month Review

Wonder Boy has been enjoying his piano lessons for about 2 months now (8 lessons). I am *thrilled* to say that he is still enjoying every minute of them.

Now when he asks us if he can go upstairs to play, we don't know whether or not he means play video games or play piano - he's at least as likely to do one as the other.

The house is simply ALIVE with music these days! Not only is the boy banging away at his electric keyboard, but he's also getting ready for the end of the school year orchestra concert. The music they are playing this spring is much more advanced than the simple tunes they had prepared for the winter concert. The viola lines are quite lovely and I am really looking forward to hearing the whole orchestra come together to play.

But this post is about PIANO. And I have to admit, as much as I love the viola, the piano is my current favorite. Wonder Boy is showing a true aptitude for the instrument. It only takes a couple of times through a particular piece and he'll have it committed to memory. He has several books of music, but most of the time he plays from memory or picks out a tune by ear. We are thankful that both of his piano instructors don't find this a problem. In fact, they have both encouraged him quite a bit and we can see his love for music growing with each passing day!

He's still working on the "Turkish March" or "Rondo Alla Turca" (which is last movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11). This is the piece he picked out before starting his lessons. And the difference between then and now just amazes me (hold on ... the new video is coming). Listening to his progress just AMAZES me. I hope it's not just the Proud Parent Syndrome. Both of his instructors have told us that he has a natural feel for the piano. And it certainly seems that way to me. But you can see for yourself in the video below. Please note that this is just an iPad video. I'll try to get a clip with the good camera for our next update in a few months.

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Turkish March - after 8 lessons

In addition to that piece, Wonder Boy is starting to branch out a bit more. On his last report card he brought home straight As, but to top that effort, he actually had two perfect 100 scores. And that required a special celebration (don't ya think?)! With the way he's been enjoying his piano lessons, it was not all that surprising when he asked for a new book of sheet music as his special reward for that effort. And it's been fun to watch him work through a few of the pieces.

We also had the opportunity to see the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra in April. It was a wonderful performance that we all enjoyed! We even had the fortune to be at a performance that featured a 17 year old cellist (a very talented young man). It really seemed to energize Wonder Boy. The following morning he greeted us with the program in hand. He had highlighted several pieces that he wanted loaded onto his iPod. And he even asked for the sheet music for the pieces as well.

In the end, his viola skills were not quite up to replicating what he had heard the night before, but it didn't take long at all before he was picking out the melodies on his piano.

As I have mentioned, I truly love having music such a prominent feature in the house. But even more than that ... I love seeing the love of music growing in the Boy. I have a sneaking suspicion that music will continue to play a prominent role in his life for many years to come. And that truly warms my heart.

Concert Time!

After only 2.5 months with their instruments, Wonder Boy and the 5th Grade Orchestra announced that they were ready for their first concert! Wonder Boy had his share of jitters leading up to the big day, but honestly, I think that there was more excitement than anxiety in those butterflies he felt. We got home early from school so that he could knock out his homework quickly. Then we forced him to eat a quick bite before getting dressed and ready.

Wonder Boy gave us both a quick sample of the concert songs (plus a few more of his favorites) at home before we loaded up and headed to the middle school. Apparently there isn't enough space at Wonder Boy's school for the whole orchestra to set up, so we got an impromptu tour of his NEXT school as we found our way to the staging room and then the cafeteria (where the concert was held).

Wonder Dad and I were both pleasantly surprised by the concert! We know that Wonder Boy has put a lot of time and effort into his practice. But we didn't know if ALL of the students put in the same kind of effort. However, we need not have worried for the group came together wonderfully! In fact, they carried their tunes so well that a gentleman in the row behind us couldn't help but sing along.

All in all, this concert left all of us itching for more! How many months until the spring concert?

5th Grade Orchestra Concert

Sounds of the Season

It is our family tradition to start our Christmas holiday decorating the day after Thanksgiving. This year we put the tree up on Thanksgiving itself since we had some minor changes to our plans for our Turkey Day meal. Usually, we put off all signs of Christmas until after Thanksgiving - I am not one to ignore any holiday and I like to make sure that Thanksgiving gets its time center stage.

But there is one exception! The week leading up to Thanksgiving, I relent and let the Christmas music play. Wonder Boy and I usually start with a playlist or two in the car. After Thanksgiving, all bets are off though and you'll find holiday tunes in the car, at work (my trusty iPod is loaded with good tunes and if I need a change of pace, I'll fire up Pandora and let them deliver up some Christmas classics), and of course at home.

Here are a few of our family favorites ...

Each year Wonder Boy tends to have a different favorite. This one is the one he always wants on the drive to school in the morning:
the Brian Setzer Orchestra perform the Nut Cracker Suite:

Wonder Dad likes a bit more bounce in his tune:
John Mellencamp's "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Right now I'm feeling drawn to the classics like this one:
Nat King Cole's "the Christmas Song"

And Wonder Boy watches the Charlie Brown Christmas show almost daily. I think this is his favorite tune from the show: Hark! The Herald Angles Sing

Our list could really draw on and on, but I wanted to share a few of these here with you now.

What are your favorites?