Stand By Me!

Ryder and Turner received a few bass guitar and guitar lessons for hanukkah.  They each started playing and have continued for the better half of a year so far, though there are some missed weeks. Ryder, who has been down this road before, has really started to learn to play.  Chris Shepherd, the teacher, has done a great job teaching them with songs they want to learn.  Here is Ryder "performing" his rendition of Stand by Me!

And Then God Spoke....

Shady Brook Farm, a local farm that we support, does a really cool thing.  Every Friday night from May- September that host a wine concert.  For free.  Well, the food and wine is not, but entry is.

So, we went.  Although friends of ours have gone regularly for years, we never have, mostly because our Friday nights in the summer have always been spent in Margate.  Until now.  The night was beautiful, the music was good, the wine...well, the wine was not so good but, still, it is better than no wine at all.  Everyone had a blast.  Particularly Turner.   He had about 10 friends there in addition to his brothers and it did not matter.  He didn't pay attention to one of them.  Not one.  Because he never took his eye off the band.  This is how he sat for over an hour, in utter amazement....

He literally didn't move.  Until....

He got up to jam with the band.  Because, yes, we had to bring his guitar with us once he found out there was going to be music.  I didn't actually pull it from the car until the band said he could come up with them.  He strummed and danced and sang some sort of tune as if he really was a part of the band.

Then, this...

Listening as if God had spoken.

Yep, Turner had the time of his life!!


PS:  All the kids had a great time and do we hope to go back again soon

Every Rock Star has a First Recital!

Maybe he was born to perform? Maybe, in the spotlight is where he belongs? Maybe, he just loves music?  Maybe, he was just doing what was expected of him?

Ryder had his first piano recital Friday night.  Coincidentally, this was the same day as his Pre-K graduation, making the entire day of June 10th a big milestone for him.  A big milestone marked by a 103 fever.

He had only been taking lessons for about 6 weeks but as his fingers became stronger and more nimble you could hear him playing his short songs a little more smoothly.

He was more excited about his recital than his graduation!  He told me several times. On the day of he was dosed up on enough meds to keep the mercury from rising near febrile seizures and yet, he was still dressed (new red tie, new striped shirt, vest, new tie bar, and

sneakers), ready, and even peed on his own with plenty of time to spare.  This is not how he usually operates!   He posed for pictures and smiled and seemed to have a lighter step to his walk.

I admit it. I was a little nervous. Not about how well he would perform but that he would at all. He has a tendency to get shy at unexpected times.

As it turns out I had nothing to worry about.  When we arrived at Miss Mindy's house he went over to the performers corner accompanied only by Turner who insisted on sitting with the musicians.

He smiled and actually sat still as he waited his turn.  He was fourth out of 14.  He sat and listened (or, at least, seemed to) while the 3 musicians before him performed their renditions of songs including the classic “Hey Jude.” 

When Miss Mindy said, “And, the next performer will be Ryder.”  He got up from his chair, walked NOT RAN, over to the piano, looked out at the audience of about 50, found us, grinned, and began playing his songs.    When he was done (less than a minute later) he got up, and as a surprise to all of us, he looked at the audience one again and bowed.  HE BOWED!!  We had discussed sitting still, smiling, and listening.  We hadn’t discussed bowing.

I am not sure what made him to do that.  I asked but got no answer.  I know he studied Neil Young’s Live Rust DVD for about a year but I am not sure if the rocker ever took a bow.  Maybe he did?

After, there were snacks and refreshments that he enjoyed but not as much as enjoyed talking to the older boys who were much more experienced at tickling the ivories.  A sweet boy named Jacob showed him a few things and told him all he had to look forward to in the upcoming years if he continued. 

As a recital gift I bought him the sheet music for some of his favorite tunes: Spiderman Theme, Superman Theme, Big Time Rush, Powder Finger, and Squeeze Box.  He is not ready for any of them but I too wanted to show him what he had to look forward to if he kept up the good work.  He was super excited and is hoping Miss Mindy can show him how to play those tunes.  

I should have recorded it, but didn’t.  Though I did have the video camera with me.   I hope this was just the first of many recitals.   I am not sure if I hope it leads him to a sold out stage with swarming girls but I do hope it takes him where he wants to go with it.