This is so cool

My 10 year old, Bethany, has been selected as one of only 30 youngsters in our state to participate in state-wide auditions for a piano recital to be played at a convention in June. She scored "double outstanding" marks at her last piano festival which qualified her. Children must be ages 10-18 to qualify to audition and she finally made it this year. Whew! She's never had anything below an "outstanding" mark before, but was never old enough to participate in this. Do I sound like a proud parent?

Thank you for letting me boast a bit. God has blessed us with many special gifts and her talent for music is but one of them.

How wonderful, Carla. Please pass my congratulations on to Bethany!

Way to go Bethany! That is a real honor you have earned and Carla, you go right on being proud!

Good for you Carla and Bethany, after all she deserves such good things, she has had her sufferings too so hopefully this will help offset things. .

Bethany, way to go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Young Lady! We are all VERY proud of you!

Bethany...You are a great talent!! and such a nice person to boot! Jo

What a great honor. Congratulations Bethany!!

Congratulations Bethany! Way to go girl! I can certainly understand why you are "bustin' with pride & joy"! I'm very happy for ALL of you!!!

Congratulations Bethany! I'm proud of you!!!!!

(((Big hugs for you)))

P.S. Please pass one of those hugs on to your Mom for me. She's very special too, just like you.

great job!!!! :) (((((((((((((ALL)))))))))))))))
I know it takes work from all of you!!!
Now go get em!!!

Way to go, Bethany! (I'll be sure to let Alex know, she'll love to hear that!) Maybe one day we can do a duet?

Congrats to you both...reckon "beginners hope" turned into "beginners success", eh? eh? ;>)

Congratulations Bethany!

Good for you, Bethany. All that practice really pays off.

Wow! How wonderful :) ((( Bethany ))) and (((( Carla ))))

You all are so sweet to share in our joy. Thank you so much.

Carla, how wonderful that you started Bethany when she was young. Children learn so much more readily at that age than ten years later. You are to be commended for the many hours of patient listening to less than perfect performances as Bethany practiced over and over and over . . . . . :-) I remember my father once telling me to 'Take that d... thing into the attic and practice there.' (I play the 'cello) The family suffered as I did my scales. No child is a success without the loving patience of a supporting parent. Bethany did well, but so did you. Congratulations to both of you.

Padre...you play the cello? One of my favorites! I'm jealous.

Congratulations Bethany!!!!!!!!!

Horseshoe, don't be jealous, take lessons and drive your family crazy with your practicing :-)

Well....(he says, cupping his face in his hand, Jack Benny style...) "I own a violin"! (Or is it a fiddle?) Now THAT would get the family's attention!

However, a cello would let me more easily imitate Yoyo Ma! (One of my heroes.)

As Bethany will soon find out as her commitment to playing grows, the performer is at his/her best when they cease to be and only the music exists. The performer loses all sense of self. There is only the music. YoYo Ma exemplifies this in his playing. So does Rostopovich, to mention only a few of the world's great performers. At this level of performance the artist is one with his/her instrument. I hope that Bethany will reach that level of artistry. The world needs more committed artists who, like gardeners, cooperate with God in making this a more beautiful world.

Carla, that's wonderful - please give Bethany a big hug from us!!!!

Bethany is at her best when she is playing songs she has written herself...only the music, thus far (no lyrics). She has the piano downstairs and a Yamaha keyboard in her room. I find her being very creative with the keyboard more than the piano, but then it has a great deal to offer in terms of sounds, accompaniaments and such.

That is so great, Carla.
We have a Yamaha keyboard also. Altho DD has never had lessons she loves to play it and "write" her own songs from time to time. (She adamantly declares she is NOT into taking lessons. However, she takes recorder lessons at school.) As for me, I "grew up" on a honky tonk upright! Boogie Woogie and Blues seemed to come from my finger tips. I reckon that type of music will be on the agenda for the State comps tho, eh?

Shoe, I imagine there will be a wide mix of music at the state-wide competitions....

a mix of Bach, a mix of Beethoven, a mix of Mozart...

Seriously, there is quite a variety of music out there. One of Bethany's pieces is a "Minuete", but the other is very "different". Can't describe it, it would have to be heard. :)

Bethany is supposed to practice 45 minutes a day, although she zips through her pieces so fast, she doesn't always last that long at the piano. She spends more time at the piano than she does doing homework. :)

Sounds for sure like she's hooked! Glad to hear she loves it!
By the way, how long has she been taking lessons? Just curious.

We were encouraged by a piano teacher to wait until she was at least in 1st grade as her hands were so small she'd just get frustrated. We ended up waiting until 2nd grade and she's been playing ever since. It's been 3 years now. I think a lot of her success is also in part due to her piano teacher who is a gem of a lady.

Thanks...was hoping I could one day encourage my DD to try lessons.

One thing you could try, Shoe, is that if she doesn't enjoy it after one year (or whatever time frame you feel is appropriate), then she can quit. BUT, she must give it a fair effort and cannot give it up before the time frame you have spelled out. As she progresses in her playing, you just have everyone on the planet compliment her, boast in front of her of how well she has taken to it, and so on. She won't want to give it up for all the praise she receives. :) Be consistent, offer rewards and allow her to have fun with it.

Congratulations Bethany!

Good advice, Carla. Thanks! I especially love to boast about her, so that part comes easy! :>