Not only did Anna participate in the 2013 Kansas City Music Teachers Association Fall Festival as a pianist, she also sang two pieces as a vocalist. She has been taking voice lessons for the past year from one of the local voice teachers, who also happens to attend our church and is one of the fellow church musicians.
Anna sang Monteverdi: Lasciatemi morire & Anon: Have You Seen But A White Lily Grow?
Linda had her spring piano recital several days ago. Of course, Emily and Anna played. It was an absolute joy listening to them play on this recital; they have continued to blossom into wonderful musicians.
Enjoy Emily playing Mazurka in F Major by Chopin:
Next, please enjoy Anna playing Polonaise in G minor by Chopin:
Finally, here is a group picture of all her students:
Sunday near Valentines day finds us once again in Lawrence at the Kansas University Lied Center for the Kansas City Music Teachers Association MultiPiano concert. Imagine a stage filed with 16 grand pianos and two players at each piano. Over 500 participants (over 2 concerts) make for a wonderful experience.
Linda and the girls have participated for quite a few years. I did it for a couple years, but the girls have surpassed my comfortable playing ability.
Great job to all three of the ladies.
Sally never ceases to amaze. She jumped up on the piano bench while Emily was practicing. She regularly sits at their feet while they play; now she’s just getting closer.
Next, she’ll want to start lessons…
You’ll notice that there was, yet again, another break in the posts on this blog. Since Linda’s birthday, I was busy with work and also performing with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus and the Christmas Festival. We had rehearsal on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – with shows on Thursday, Friday, and then two shows on Saturday and again on Sunday. Needless to say, I was exhausted.
Despite being exhausting, it was a wonderful concert with music from the Kansas City Symphony, the Symphony Chorus, the Allegro Children’s Choir, and the Rezound Handbell Choir. It truly was an amazing show – with numerous opportunities for getting misty-eyed.
I’m enjoying time off now and spending time with the family. I’m looking forward to spending more time with Linda and the girls. The Christmas season is about to arrive and we’re thankful that we’ll get to spend it with all of Linda’s family.
Emily attended the 2012 Kansas State University Keyboard Camp – along with 7 other teen participants. The weeklong camp was run by the keyboard division of the Department of Music – including a professor that taught Linda while we were there, Dr. Virginia Hauser. Dr. David Pickering was the organ instructor; Dr. Hauser was her piano instructor.
Emily stayed in the dorms with a friend during the camp. The days were busy with lessons, practicing, field trips, and adventures in dorm dining.
Emily appeared to have an absolute blast. Included in the video below are an organ piece (her first week playing the organ) and a piano piece that she started after arrival to the camp.
Anna is off doing another summer activity that will be discussed in an upcoming post.
This past weekend, I joined about 20 other former choir members of the Kansas State University Concert Choir. Among us were individuals that sang in the choir as long ago as the late 1960’s. Helping us out on soprano were three high school students that were daughters of some of the alumni.
We met on Saturday to rehearse the music and then sang on Sunday morning for the 11:00 Mass at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. We sang a William Byrd Kyrie, a Mozart Gloria, Schubert’s Sanctus, and Ralph Vaughn Williams Agnus Dei.
I really wish we had a recording of the music because it sounded great. It’s amazing what can be done in just 24 hours (plus the preparation we each did prior to meeting this weekend).
What a wonderful way to meet up with old friends and meet new ones. In fact, one of the tenors was a groomsman in my wedding. Good to see you again, Rob!
The really cool thing about this group – we’re going to be singing at Carnegie Hall this winter. We will be singing Haydn’s Paukenmesse.
Photo courtesy Mark Kahler.
Emily played Bizet’s Menuet yesterday at the district music festival – receiving a “1″ rating (the best available).
Great job, Emily.
PS – Linda was the accompanist for both Anna and Emily for their solos.
When the new Kauffman Performing Arts Center was being built here in Kansas City, we knew that we wanted to be counted among the first season ticket holders in the new building. We were even willing to shell out a little extra money to have really nice seats. Turns out we weren’t the only ones with the same idea. We got our season tickets – on the 4th from last row at the top of the auditorium (our view of the stage is that of the picture above). However, despite it’s distance from the stage, the seats are awesome. There has been a lot said about the new concert space and it’s all true – there’s not a bad seat in the whole place. The spoken voice from the stage can be heard without microphones.
Another reason we wanted to be sure we had season tickets was because Yo-Yo Ma was scheduled to perform with the Symphony. These were not tickets that one would likely be able to get without being a season ticket holder. We deliberated about how many of us in the family would get season tickets, but it was quickly decided that if all of could go to KSU football games, we could all go to the Symphony. Thus, all four of us have tickets to see each of the classical concerts.
Photo from KC Star at kansascity.com
Yo-Yo Ma came to town this past weekend and played the Dvorák Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra. This is arguably the quintessential cello concerto – and how beautiful it was. Yo-Yo Ma was such a fabulous performer and so gracious to the orchestra, conductor, and even the audience. It seemed as though he were uncomfortable with the accolades that were rightly his. I was so happy that Anna and Emily were able to have this experience.
Hear what Michael Stern (Music Director) has to say about the concert: