Here's a view from Bill T's birding tower near our hometown last weekend. It was breath-taking, to put it mildly. I think it's the least God can do to compensate us for what lies ahead in the coming months, especially here in northern Ohio to give us this gorgeous show of color before it's all gray and then bone-chillingly cold. It had been gray and rainy all that day, and then right before the sun set, as if we asked for it, it came out below the clouds for a few minutes to show off on the treetops. This is taken from 40+ feet high. Well-worth the climb and the drive. Thanks, Julie and Bill, and also Phoebe and Liam for loaning us your folks for a while to visit!

October 23, 2009

My husband and I are going down to my old hometown, Marietta, Ohio, for a concert of my father's music....well, he's part of it, but also accompanying a soprano singing 3 of his songs in it. Cooincidentally, a classmate of mine, Bill Thompson, has a band that is playing a block from our hotel tonight, so I get a mix of musical styles and experiences. It will be the 1st time I've been back since our 25th HS reunion. My dad has set many poems to music, but these poems will actually have the poet there in person, and I'm really looking forward to meeting her. I've heard the songs as they've developed over the years, and heard recordings, but I'm not sure I've heard them live. He's driving up from TN, so the least I can do is drive down to meet him. I'm sure it will make me want to get composing again.....or else be so good that I'll never write another song again! Just kidding....I can feel inadequate compared to my dad, but he is a master teacher, and has about a million more hours of practice, education, and preparation for his craft, so I can hardly expect to compete with that, can I??

Here's a neat thing Volkswagon did in Sweden to get ppl to take the stairs instead of an escalator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJMOI5_FKwg

Also, www.familygames.com/freelane.htm and scroll down to the last game, Note Card for a quick and easy game to study notes.

Happy Weekend.....see you next week!

October 7, 2009

Wednesday. I've been sad since our dog Malley died Monday morning. He greeted all the students, and terrified others who were afraid of dogs. Still, he was harmless, as they eventually discovered, and he helped them get over their fear of dogs. He spent the first months of his life tied to the piano leg as I taught (before the studio was built) so I could keep an eye on him, and then since he wasn't allowed in the studio so I could have a pet-free environment for those with allergies, sat or lay down at the top of the stairs to it. Better yet, on nice days, he would lay outside the French doors on the deck literally feet away from me, to keep an eye on me, and be the closest he could be to me. He was a great dog, and for 13 yrs was loved much.

I saw this on the internet this morning and thought I'd eat my words about accordions and post this. Incredible player, incredible piece.....sounds like a church organ - but you hold it in your lap! I wish I knew how to embed the picture where you just click on it to play. Sorry. If someone wants to teach me, then I'm all ears!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegehumor.com%2Fvideo%3A1922340&h=9a74f910e1dc4b7e2be4ecbe3c8e0d49

October 1, 2009

It's not the first day of fall, but it feels that way. Today was in the 40s in the morning, and even only 55 mid-day. I can't believe we had to turn on the heat already. It will wreak havoc on the newly tuned pianos. If I'd only waited a few weeks. Oh well. Such is the life of an MYC teacher whose classes start in late August/early September, and need the pianos - all 6 of them - 4 electronic and perfectly tuned to sound right with the 2 acoustic. One is so old that it only really holds a good tune about a week. At least the way I like it. Only one student I have can really tell the difference, and it's her perfect pitch that makes it that way. She's amazing.

Anyway, I promised that I'd post the url for the music dictionary again. Here it is: http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/

I hope you bookmark it, and refer to it often, at least if you're a student, or parent of a student. Another good site is http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/fromthetop/pages/ a TV show on public television that is fantastic! ANYONE will love these young people performing, and host Christopher O'Reilly's rapport with them.

Got to go plan lessons for the last day of the week! YEA, Friday!

Lori