I want to write a few words (more like gush) about my students. I don’t do it often (ever) and it’s a long time coming. I never thought I would be the teacher who got all teary eyed after a student performance so I was caught off guard when things started stirring a little bit. For those of you who have studied with me and know me, I’m not a lovey dovey teacher. I convince myself that I’m a tough teacher that has to maintain, at all times, the intense strict image of “I’m paying attention to you and everything you do.” Ah!
This day there was none of that. I couldn’t stop thinking how beautifully they were playing and the one thought that kept running around in my head is that I taught them how to do all that. Some had never played in an orchestra setting much less being conducted by a real conductor. Yes, I had the guts to ask a REAL conductor Maestro Sergio Buslje if he would be so kind to come and wave his arms around. They all practiced extra hard because they wanted to impress and not disappoint. Teachers: in case you didn’t know this, bringing in someone from the outside to rattle your students’ cages a bit helps in making sure they practice and learn their parts not just well but super really well. I must remember this!
I hope you take the time to see and listen to how wonderfully they all played Corelli’s Christmas Concerto.
In August, I got in my head (and that’s not necessarily a good thing) that I was going to teach all my younger students to read music. I wasn’t going to have them learn the melodies to the Christmas carols and have the advanced players come in a play the harmony. Nope, that was too easy! I had them playing musical stands and they all got a chance to play the melodies and the harmonies. They were playing four part Christmas carols. It was amazing. Unfortunately I don’t have video of that, yet! I will work on it so I can add it to the blog.
So for one last gush, I am extremely proud in all the work the parents and my students put in in order to create such an entertaining recital. It also makes me feel good about tormenting them year round.
