Five Stick Friday

As I head to bed after having my kids home for a couple of days…I’m reflecting on the whole “impomptu singing session” that was prompted by Erin buying a chart and throwing out the idea to start with. And then all of us enjoying kitchen table time reading it over, etc.

But upon reflection, I’m really struck that it’s the first time I’ve really been able to see my son Davis Henry exhibit his “Music Education” chops.

And he did it so smoothly it’s taken a couple of days for it to sink in. He suggested that we “dut” invidual notes in problem areas one note, one pitch at a time. He suggested that at times we needed to just stop, rest our voices, take a break, etc. He quickly figured out what it was going to take to coach us all through the “problem areas” and used multiple teaching techniques that I haven’t seen since I was sitting in a high school band with the likes of Melvin Morgan or Robert Carter. He had his phone on a tone generator app at the ready to say “No Dad, that wasn’t the Eb….that was the G”.

And then for him to sit down at the end of “rehearsal” and rip the backend out of a piano? Well…Davis couldn’t play piano with any proficiency when he left high school. And though I’ve known he was taking instruction beyond what was required for his degree, I was just shocked at his proficiency.

Yes, it’s yet another “Proud Dad” post. But I am proud…and some school somewhere is going to get more than they even know when he graduates from Grad school next year and starts teaching the joy of music to the next generation.

This is shameless repost of the only record I have of that evening because after “rehearsal”, we ate our Portuguese dinner. And after that dinner I had a pretty serious histamine reaction. Which meant we never got to a “production recording” of the work we put in.

But it captures a lot in 30 seconds. Running one of the “problem areas” of the chart, and then Davis sitting down and starting up on the piano.

And with that…I was cleaning up the kitchen tonight and found the charts with his and Erin’s handwriting all over them. And for a second thought…”Just toss them…who knows when we’ll get to this again…” But I just couldn’t …because we will finally record it the next time we’re all together…and honestly God knows when that will be.

I also included 30 seconds of Erin playing my Mom’s piano at 5 a.m. the next morning after we’d all been in bed. Just like her Dad used to do when something was on his mind.

This chapter is complete. There will be more.