Music

This summer we have no choir practice to attend, and no piano lessons either.  Silje’s piano teacher said Silje could take a month off of practice to recoup from the recital, and then back to work.  I know it’s supposed to be a break, but something was definitely missing in our house.

I was at this really neat store the other day, and saw a nice wooden recorder, and thought Silje would really enjoy learning to play it.  So as a fun summer music project, I picked it up.  I was right; she is enjoying it.  It’s harder than she had anticipated, but she was thrilled to learn that the notes on the page of the recorder music is the same as the notes on the piano.  She just has to learn the finger placement.

I didn’t get David a recorder, and about 10 seconds of him playing Silje’s confirmed that decision.  His goal with that instrument is to just make as loud a noise as he can…like a whistle.  I think David has an ear for music, because I’ve heard him sing on key so well, and he can’t help but move his body whenever he hears it.  However, choir is difficult for him because of all the sitting or standing still.  Silje started piano lessons at 1st grade, and although he’s the same age, there’s no way I’m starting him this year.  Maturity-wise he’s just not ready, so I feel it would be wasting my money.  My goal for him is by 3rd grade.

We’ll put him in piano then, but he doesn’t want it.  All he wants is to play the drums.  He practices on my Tupperware and pots and pans, and actually is pretty good.  I told him that every drum teacher in town requires 3 years of piano done before drum lessons begin.  He was very disappointed with that news.

So as I was getting Silje the recorder, I saw nearby: a harmonica.  I instantly thought “A boy like David needs a harmonica!”  I envisioned him, barefoot and shirtless, like Tom Sawyer, running around the yard and climbing trees…playing his harmonica.

Let’s just say I was right.  David has loved every moment of playing the harmonica, and not so surprisingly, he’s pretty good.  I mean, no one in the family minds listening to him, and we all sort of dance along.  He does this little jig himself when he plays, and Knut and I joke that soon we’re going to start throwing coppers at him.

Immediately he noticed the numbers on the side, and their relationship to the notes that come out.  He’s experimenting with different combinations, and usually has these fun endings prepared for each song that comes out of his head.

If you ask him, he’ll tell you it’s not a toy, it’s a musical instrument.  He cares for it meticulously by wiping it down with a cloth in the case, and then putting it always in its case before it is stored in his pocket.  It’s the first musical instrument solely in his care and you can see the awe of such a task on his face.

I was hoping to get the smile in his eyes when he’s playing captured on the camera, but he gets so nervous when he sees the camera, that he more looks like deer in the headlights than his normal self.  Still, he wanted to show you all his harmonica, so he said it was okay if I took some pictures of him playing.

Silje has been a little frustrated that she can’t just pick up the recorder and play it as easily as David does his harmonica.  Still, she’s been asking for a recorder for ages, and really does enjoy playing it.  With her brains, she often does not have to depend on hard work, and so the work aspect may be good for her as well.  Since the kids are still in vacation mode, I haven’t been “making” them practice.  It’s still so new, though, that I don’t have to.  It’s their favorite activity these days.