For the first time, Josiah turned pages for me as I performed on the piano.
I had the privilege of playing the prelude and offertory at our church yesterday--a first for me in that church--and so I asked Josiah if he would turn pages for me. He agreed, but was actually nervous about it--specifically, about the fact that other people would be in the room with us while he was turning the pages. :) He did a great job, although the edge of the music rack on the piano was a little higher than ours at home, so it was harder for him to get the edge of the page up and over that and I needed to reach up and straighten the pages after he turned them. But he was SO attentive, and just sat there like a little champ, waiting patiently for me to get to the right place for him to turn the page.
It brought back a flood of memories for me, since I too started my career as page-turner at the tender age of 5. :) For years, I turned pages for my mother as she played in all kinds of settings: accompanying musicals, playing for weddings, and on and on. I'm convinced that those hours of sitting beside her on the piano bench watching along in the music helped my own love for and understanding of music to grow immensely.
During college I had the opportunity to turn pages for all kinds of top-notch musical ensembles who played in the area of my college (near a capital city, so these really were outstanding musicians). What an honor to be on stage with them, and how very interesting to only be an arm's length away from them as they performed! What an education!
Who knows where Josiah's musical career will go? But it was a fun step yesterday to have him with me as I played! :)
The other really special thing that happened yesterday was the bridal shower of my good friend Dori. She and I were part of a group of 5 women who lived together the last two years of college and became very, very close. Though separated by distance now, we still stay in touch, and are definitely bonded at the heart level. The shower for Dori (she's the one in the center of the picture below...at the far right is one of the other former roommates, Jackie) was in Pennsylvania; and the trip up and back yesterday--although quite long--gave me a wonderful chance to have alone time, listen to some cassette tapes (since I traveled in my parents' car which does not have a CD player) including a tape of my wedding, and be refreshed and rejuvenated by being apart from others.
It was SO nice to see both Dori and Jackie again, and I am unspeakably thrilled for Dori at the incredible gift of a Godly man and a Christ-centered love. I can hardly wait until her wedding next month, although I'm sure my anticipation isn't quite at the level of hers! :)
2 comments:
How lucky your children are to have a musical mommy! This is probably a silly question, but i'm not musical at all -- does Josiah have to read the music to know when to turn the pages? Or do you just give him a nod?
No question is silly! :)
Josiah does not have to read the music...I nod my head, and he turns...so anyone, despite lack of knowledge about music, could do it. Although from my own experience turning pages for my mother, I know that it's actually excellent preparation for reading music.
Some of the musicians that I turned pages for don't give a nod or any indication at all, so in those cases, you really have to follow along closely and know music well.
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