Mom loved music. She played the coronet in the school band until she became a baton twirler. She loved to sing and dance, but mostly she loved to listen to her children and grandchildren. She always encouraged us to be in school choir, band, and musicals. My brother, Ron, was the first of us children to follow in Mom's footsteps, being selected to be a drummer in the high school marching band when he was only in fifth grade. My sister followed by also being a drummer, and when I was old enough I became a percussionist as well. Ron has a beautiful voice that helped him win the lead in high school musicals and as a member of many choirs and ensembles. My sister sang in choir, and I accompanied all the high school choirs from the time I was a freshman. I continued to play in concert and pit bands in college and to sing in the college choir. Even now I play in the community jazz band. I think back at all the times when company came to visit, and Mom asked/told me to play something for them. She always bragged about my musical talents, which is probably why I'm still playing to this day. As long as I've got music, I've got Mom.
I'm still accompanying, which is where I was tonight, playing for the middle school choirs. Tonight was truly a moving experience listening to kids from grades 5 through 12 sing and dance and gain self confidence. Mom would've loved seeing me at the piano and both my daughters performing. Maddy sang a solo and sang w/ the 7th/8th grade choir. Kenzie sang and danced in the show choir and in varsity choir. The finale had all the students singing a medley from the musical Rent. It literally brought tears to my eyes to see 200 students singing as if there was no greater joy in the world. That's when I thought of Mom. She knew the power of music to stimulate and to soothe.
My sister started piano lessons when she was eight. I don't remember how many years she took lessons, but I know I couldn't wait until I turned eight so I could start them too. We never had a lot of money for extras, but Mom always found the money to pay for lessons and buy books. And practicing my lessons always got me out of helping w/ the dishes; that in itself would make anyone strive to be a virtuoso. Thanks to Mom's foresight and devotion, the piano has brought me places I never would've seen and provided a supplement to my income. When I was in my early 20's, living in Austin, TX, and working in a music store, I bought Mom some play-by-ear tapes. I wanted to give her the same gift she gave me. I came across the tapes one of the last times I was back home, still in the same envelope. She had worked up a few of the lessons, and always said she needed to find time to work on some more. I used to play piano for a church when I lived in Texas, and she got to hear me each summer they visited me. I've played in churches since then, but not since she died. I've been asked but can't bring myself to do it. Tonight was hard enough. This was my first performance since she passed away....another one of those first's.
Music was something that Mom and I could do together. She and I sang in the church choir my freshman year of high school, and then for the next three years I accompanied that choir along w/ the junior choir and Mom's Sunday School class, known now as "Lucy's Kids." She wanted me to major in music in college, but I felt there were only two directions I could go w/ a music degree: teach or perform. I didn't want to do the former and didn't feel I was talented enough to do the latter. Look at me now.....I'm a teacher, and I perform. Have I mentioned how smart Mom was?
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