First Piano Recital

Ben has been taking piano lessons at USU this fall and is really enjoying it. (Phew! I was worried my scheme would backfire.) I think much of his enjoyment, at least initially, is due to the fact that he has a male teacher, Pete, who is a very hip, long-board riding, young college student, which is a good example for Ben (as in boys who play piano aren't sissies!)

Ben is in love with the National Anthem lately. Yes I'm talking about the good old Star Spangled Banner. His school sings it together in the gym every morning along with saying the Pledge as part of their "Morning Greeting." As soon as he started piano, he begged me to find him some simple sheet music for it and teach him to play it. He memorized it so quickly (its a page and a half long!) and happily pounds it out on the piano several times a day after school. Ben takes the fact that the piano is a percussion instrument quite literally! He's taught Erik some of the words, so now I am regularly serenaded during the day with strains of "gave poof through tonight, that our flag was over there..." and other close-but-not-quite lyrics. It always puts a smile on my face.

This video is his very first piano recital at USU. They had a special Halloween one where all the kids got to wear their costumes and go to a halloween carnival after their recital. Ben played "Old MacDonald's Ghost" for his song. (Ben is Frankenstein this year, more on that in a later post). Ben and Erik had a blast and Grandma Joy and Grandpa Steve came over for the occasion. We were sitting in the audience, and Erik asked if he could have a turn. "Sorry, Erik, maybe next year," I told him. Well, after it was over, Erik went down to the piano and gave us this number:




Ben likes to "teach" Erik some of what he's learning at piano lessons, and Erik seems to love it, too. We are so lucky to have been able to move my Grandma Ericksen's piano to our little house. I have fond childhood memories of tinkering around on it at my grandma's house and I have always loved that piano. Its so beautiful. Shaun thought I was nuts when I said I wanted to move it over here and enroll Ben in piano lessons because our house is so tiny, but it has already paid off. Ben plays the opening song for us for Family Home Evening each week. (We're getting to know The Star Spangled Banner pretty well!) and Erik plays his own original composition for the closing song. Having kids interested in piano make me feel like such a good mom for some reason! Listening to them pound out chopsticks or the PBS Kids jingle (which Ben figured out himself...have you noticed we watch a lot of PBS?) is so satisfying and just makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Ben also still plans on learning guitar and drums when he gets older, so I look forward to having our house filled with music often.