Our Piano Concert Series

This has been a big year for us as far as piano goes.  Not only did we finally get our piano tuned (it had only been about 30 years since the last tuning!), but we went from having one student at the music school to having three. 

 

Alaina started taking piano lessons in September--she has the same teacher as Janae, and they have their lessons back to back.  Alaina played "Ode to Joy" in her first concert this past December, and Janae, who has now been playing the piano for three years, played "Silent Night."

 

 

At that time, Ben was in his school band and played "Jingle Bells" and "Santa on the Housetop" on the trombone at another concert, but in February he started piano lessons at the same school as his sisters.  He played the main theme from Star Wars--with chords and everything!--at his first concert at the end of May. 

 

 

 

He hasn't stopped there, either, learning the "Imperial March" over the past few weeks.

 

Then it was time for the girls' concert.  Alaina played "Twinkling Planets,"

 

 

and Janae "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter (notice the robe!).

 

 

I loved the way all three of them just walked up to the piano with no music and played their pieces from memory.  Even though I knew they were a little nervous, they looked so confident :)

 

This weekend we went to a special space-themed concert put on by the music school.  It had an orchestra with keyboards, violins, cellos, drums and a guitar, playing the Star Wars theme.

 

Janae played the piano with the main theme ensemble. 

 

This meant a costume (made in ONE day by Grandma!),

 

 

 

and LOTS of practices at the school.  We're talking Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for three weeks, with Ben having his lessons on the Wednesdays!

 

Eric got to be a regular on the spare room piano there.

 

 

But he was still willing to put on his Star Wars shirt one more time this afternoon for the final performance. . . .

 

 

Janae--and all of the musicians--did an amazing job.

 

 

 

 Ben just has one more lesson on Wednesday, and then all of the instruction is finished until September.  But I have a feeling our piano will continue to get plenty of use between now and then. . . .