Tick. One more activity down, 25 or so to go til the end of the school year.
This year has happened to be the one in which preparation for music exams has filled our lives. The little one is preparing her Grade 6 cello, the big lug for his Grade 7.
No mean feats, these. Many hours of preparing and polishing, parental driving, encouraging, feeding of chocolate, offering heavy coins (we are not above bribery rewarding hard work in this household) all to take The Team toward the final goal.
Homeboy’s teacher on Bowen Island, the sweet and lovely Alison Nixon, has charmed him from the start. With her soft Scottish brogue she has created images of flying herons, fire-leaping Polish dancers, and silver-haired maidens on horseback to assist him in feeling what the composer intended. Truly, it’s a different lad we’re hearing.
This past Friday night the wee (very wee) Little Red Church on Bowen was SRO (that’s Standing Room Only, if you’ve not spent time in the theatre biz) as all Alison’s students played their pieces for the sold-out (donation and a can of food for the food back, please) crowd. From little to big, four years to 13, these children played their hearts out for mother and father, grandparents, siblings, friends and a collection of well-wishing islanders.
I was filled with awe the entire two hours as I realized how far my two have come, how once upon a time they too were squeaking their little wooden boxes up at the front as well.
My beautiful boy.
The Country Mice 