Suzuki Violin Recital
June 2004
Academy of Music
Standing in line to get tuned up. Benny is the little one.
The young lady at the piano is Pilar, who is a marvelous
marvelous child. Her brother, Sebastian, is in the picture at
the end of the line. Pilar comes to Benny's group classes sometimes
and polices Benny ruthlessly. She is so awesome I want to clone
her and take her home. She's on him like a vulture every time
he makes a wrong move. Which is often. He's fidgety.
Here's Ms. Stevens tuning Benny's violin. Ms. Stevens is great
and
wonderful -- she teaches Benny's group class sometimes. Always
amazing how the Suzuki teachers achieve such a majestic serenity
with a pack of small children capering around them energetically.
Here's Benjamin farting around while the violin is getting tuned.
Because this video camera doesn't take good stills in low
light,
I dragged Benny over to the window to capture some light
and hopefully get some good shots of him playing before the show.
I really like how these came out, stripes notwithstanding!
This is my new favorite Benny picture of all time. What a squirrel!!!
Here's the Committee to Organize Benny: Mrs. Ford, Pilar, and
Nicholas all on the job to keep Benjamin on the straight and narrow.
Pilar still helping to sort out Benny. GOOD PILAR! GREAT PILAR!
Pilar is on book four in the Suzuki program.
Getting the beginners all on stage for their "I have a hat" number.
Nicholas, Benny, Claire, and Caroline. All beginners.
Mariah and Benny. The "I have a hat" game was about rhyming,
rhythm, and playing "Tuka tuka stop stop" on the A string.
Benny and Nicholas. Since January, Benny's been sharing
a lesson spot with Nicholas and they've had a lot of fun.
Dork that I am, I made little violins out of sculpey to
decorate
Benny's hat. In a supremely Penrod-ian moment, he turned the
decorations around to the BACK. You can see them in one of
the pictures higher up though. Mrs. Ford turned them back around.
Part of the beginners' presentation was interacting with a
story
called "Mortimer." They had to sing and also play an A major scale.
Dad and Benny. The recital was held in the chapel of First
Presbyterian
which is across the street from the Academy. The Academy of Music
is housed in the brick Victorian that you see behind them in this picture.
The door you see is the door from the back porch which leads right
into Mrs. Ford's studio where Benny has his lesson!
