Emma and Henry took a big step toward truly becoming Marinites (someone from Marin County, not the mineral) by competing in the 2012 Marin County Fair piano competition. Under the tutelage of their piano teacher, Kenn Gartner, they’ve become quite the piano players. They’d practiced the same pieces over and over for the last several weeks all in anticipation of the big day.
Emma’s award-winning performance of Rondo from Sonatina: Opus 36, #5 by Clementi. This clip showcases classic Emma behaviors, from the way she talks about the left-behind music, to her frustration that the music stand won’t go down and the way she starts even before she’s fully seated. Classic, I tell you.
Henry’s award winning performance of Mozart by a Nose at the 2012 Marin County Fair.
I’ve posted many videos of Emma over the past few years as she’s progressed with her piano lessons. What you haven’t seen much of is Henry. He’s turned into quite the little musician, too.
Emma had her Spring 2011 piano recital this past weekend. The recital was themed “all creatures great and small” and all of the individual pieces were all animal or nature themed and ranged from The Giraffe Who Loved Mozart to Dancing Dolphins to Emma’s piece, which was entitled Call of the Wilderness.
Emma’s winter piano recital was all music from The Nutcracker Suite, which Tchaikovsky extracted from the two hour Nutcracker ballet. (The ballet was apparently a flop when first produced!)
Emma practiced this piece relentlessly for the past few months and forced us all to listen to the Suite in the car, as well. Who couldn’t stand a little more celesta in their life, eh?
Emma took to the stage again last week for her second piano recital. The spring recital was nature-themed and Emma’s piece was called “Shooting Stars” by Elizabeth Greenleaf. She was, once again, delighted to be performing for the crowd.
Emma has been taking piano lessons for several months now, all building up to The Big Recital. We practiced “Good King Wenceslas” at home dozens of times over the past six weeks. Continue reading
Emma has been taking piano lessons for two months now and I wanted to snap a quick video to remember the progress. I’ve been a little surprised at how quickly all the new concepts keep coming but Emma seems to soak it in and remember everything. Continue reading