Jessica has frisbie practice first thing this morning, so it’s off to Palace Beach on the Persian Gulf for this clan. A popular beach for families and campers, though it offers no amenities, including toilets!
Beach and Khalifa
Tag Archives: music
Beautiful Eulogy – Selected Songs
Amazing message! Praise Yah – all to His Glory!
Whitetail Properties – Christian Co, MO
As i draw nearer to slowing down (not quite ready for retirement), I find i no longer have the energy to maintain and manage this acreage and homeplace. This beautiful farm is ready for cattle, hunting, hiking, exploring, etc. A quiet place to live, close to work, and only 50 minutes to Branson – one of America’s premier tourist attractions and performance destinations!
Cattle farm for sale in Christian County, Missouri – just 35 minutes outside Springfield.
Thanks!
tauna
Moonlight Sonata
The only regret i have for my children and their formal piano and vocal lessons is that i didn’t have them start much earlier in life. Now, we’ve always listened to music or music history when we homeschooled, but no formal training until Jessica was 14, Dallas was 12, and Nathan (starting later) was about 11. Nathan didn’t take for very long because their teacher moved away, although we did find another wonderful teacher who gave him lessons for about a year later on and introduced him to the world of stage production musicals. Jessica became good enough to earn a small vocal scholarship at Central Methodist and was very active in their music programme and even participated in rehearsals, special ensemble small group called ‘Chorale,’ and was an officer in SAI.
Dallas, through his training actually showed the most improvement!
Nathan is a good vocalist, but not quite good enough to snag a singing part in Carousel Production of Les Misérables a couple years ago as a sophomore in high school. It was a great experience for him anyway as he participated with four different roles in the musical.
Anyway, I started playing the piano when i was nine – hated practicing -but was required to continue for five years. Only way later in years did i appreciate my parents forcing me to continue for as long as i did. My children, however, really enjoy playing the piano and enjoyed their lessons, although none of us are accomplished pianists.
Those of us who play or teach piano know that it helps our brains. It’s even scientifically proven according to some. Playing the Piano Might Make You Smarter is a neat article that gives some of the evidence for that.
Now today, I struggled through playing a part of a song (Sonata quasi una Fantasia – First movement) i used to be able to play, but i cannot now. Although, it’s far from starting an unknown piece, it will be a long time before it sounds decent. So my question is – can old brains be made smarter and/or improve memory by playing the piano? Hmmmm Maybe if can push forward and learn Movements 2 (i can stumble through) and 3 (only in my dreams) by L van Beethoven.
Listen to Sonata quasi un Fantasia in its entirety by L van Beethoven
Shabbat Shalom
tauna
Music Parlor
Although I had renovated all five bedrooms in our old Sears-type 2-story house for use as our guesthouse, and we had used all five as such until recently, I was wont to move my old piano back home and out of my father-in-law’s basement where it’s been these past two years. Jay Shearer, our piano tuner, came Thursday morning, so it’s sounding great.
So, the former master bedroom is now a music parlor. I plan to purchase a queen size futon, so a quick bed can be made if necessary, but with two children moved out by and large, we still have two bedrooms open upstairs. When i had four strong boys available, they moved a lot of furniture around, including moving the queen size bed upstairs to Jessica’s room. It’s kind of big for that room, but it’s more comfortable sleep in than the full/double size she did have.
Shabbat Shalom!
tauna
The Kosher Animal Rap… Love this!
Toe tapping biblical wisdom! Click on the ‘view original to get the video. I haven’t paid to have video available on wordpress! I think that’s why it won’t play.
Friend, Bill Sanford, of Messianic Alef Tav Scriptures, sent this out earlier today prompting a terrific conversation he and I had… What a blessing, but that is another story.
Anyway, we have already enjoyed this rap here a couple times today… May you be blessed by it.
Music is More than Fun!
Not surprisingly, music has shown itself to be helpful in learning once again. In fact, of my three children, Dallas, who has just turned 21 and was diagnosed with Aspergers just last year, but started vocal and piano lessons at 14, showed the most marked improvement, not only in vocal skills, but in problem solving, speech enunciation, concentration, focus, and memory enhancement. (an upgraded WordPress would allow some pretty cool home music performances on here!) I regret not having started them all on piano and vocal lessons much earlier in life, but no use wallowing in guilt about something that cannot be changed. However, if our experience will encourage anyone to consider such lessons for their children, starting as soon as possible, that’d be keen. Formal lessons to start wouldn’t be necessary. Just sing, clap, tap your toes with your children – you’ll have loads of fun, too! As they progress, introduce more complicated rhythms and/or a foreign language fun song as well. Those brain synapses will be stretching and growing all over! Whether you are a home, government, or private educator – put some music in those young lives! It’ll last a lifetime!
Speech therapy?! Try SING therapy!
A Musical Fix for U.S. Schools – an essay by Ms Joanne Lipman for the Wall Street Journal This essay, once again, explains the importance of music in our lives. Sadly, government and some private schools put this on the chopping block far too often.
Jessica was very active in the music department through college, having received a vocal scholarship and was involved with the Chorale group and Conservatory Singers choir. Now graduated, spring of 2013, she teaches Kindergarten at The American School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where she also volunteers to direct the high school honor choir. She continues to practice piano when she has time. Dallas hasn’t put his musical skills to work yet, except to enjoy singing and making a joyful noise unto Yahweh! His voice is well-suited for baritone parts. He started out not even being able to hear a note on the piano and matching the pitch! Nathan continues vocal lessons locally and last winter was involved with Carousel Productions in Macon, Missouri. The six performances were sold out! Though he had initially been rejected at his audition for singing parts, he showed up and did so much better during practices, that he eventually landed FOUR small parts in the productions. Les Misérables has always been one of our favourite shows, so it was especially sweet that he was able to participate.
Shabbat Shalom!
