So every year for the past 17 years in the Falls Church Ward, Adeana organizes the Young Musician's Fireside. Any child, usually 3-18 years old, can perform some sort of musical number. About 25 kids performed. As we learned last night, it can be singing or performing on an instrument. It was awesome for the kids--it provides a place for them to showcase something they've learned or just to share their love of singing or performing. For our kids, we haven't had recitals or anything like it for the past few years of being in Angola, so it was a wonderful way for our kids to show their courage to perform in public. Thomas and Savannah both signed up really without hesitation. Rhea wanted to perform too, but hadn't really been preparing anything and they moved the date of the fireside up a month, so she and Bri agreed that she'll work on a hymn on the flute/whistle that she can play as a duet in church in Latvia together. :)
Savannah played an adapted version of Thomas' composition called "Freedom" that he composed while we were in Angola. Savvy loves the song and would try to play it, but ended up creating a simplified version of it for herself to be able to play. She wanted to play it at the fireside.
Thomas played a medley of two songs, The Swallow and The Storm by Friedrich Burgmuller. He's been working on them through his Skype piano lessons with Ms. Rachel, his teacher in Utah. We've been doing Skype lessons for a year and a half now, since about half-way through our time in Angola. We were so grateful that she agreed to do Skype lessons since we didn't have other options in Angola! We've kept them going here in VA and will probably continue unless we find another option in Latvia. Thomas was also working on a duet of Jubilation by Robert Vandall, with his friend Scotty from the ward, but his family was out of town and the trip was planned before the date of the fireside. Hopefully we'll get them to perform it together somewhere before we move to make the effort worth it!
Fun night! I'm proud of my kids for having the courage and desire to perform! It's not an easy thing to possibly make mistakes in front of your peers. And of course their performances weren't flawless, so then they had the experience of dealing with their mistakes under pressure and "keep going" as they've been taught. They recovered beautifully I think!
Savannah played an adapted version of Thomas' composition called "Freedom" that he composed while we were in Angola. Savvy loves the song and would try to play it, but ended up creating a simplified version of it for herself to be able to play. She wanted to play it at the fireside.
Thomas played a medley of two songs, The Swallow and The Storm by Friedrich Burgmuller. He's been working on them through his Skype piano lessons with Ms. Rachel, his teacher in Utah. We've been doing Skype lessons for a year and a half now, since about half-way through our time in Angola. We were so grateful that she agreed to do Skype lessons since we didn't have other options in Angola! We've kept them going here in VA and will probably continue unless we find another option in Latvia. Thomas was also working on a duet of Jubilation by Robert Vandall, with his friend Scotty from the ward, but his family was out of town and the trip was planned before the date of the fireside. Hopefully we'll get them to perform it together somewhere before we move to make the effort worth it!
Fun night! I'm proud of my kids for having the courage and desire to perform! It's not an easy thing to possibly make mistakes in front of your peers. And of course their performances weren't flawless, so then they had the experience of dealing with their mistakes under pressure and "keep going" as they've been taught. They recovered beautifully I think!
katmplatt | May 8, 2017 at 3:28 PM
Good for your kids for performing! Such a great experience. Good job guys!