Sunday Concert

We went up to the local Arts Centre this afternoon to catch a jazz concert put on by the local university's jazz ensemble. The kids sat through all two hours of it - beautiful music, but a long silence for elementary-aged children. My 5-year-old spent a full 5 minutes standing on his head towards the end of the concert, much to the amusement of the trumpet player who spotted him at the back of the room.

The good thing about these kinds of local events is that the kids were able to talk to the musicians afterward. Since Dave and I both attended the university briefly about a decade ago, we're familiar with some of the profs and with the School of Music. Since I was comfortable talking to the group, the kids were as well.

Because the concert was in a small setting, with a small audience, it was more informal. It felt very interactive and personal, and we could see the musicians interacting with each other as they improv'd. It was like getting to sit in on a jam session, but one without interruptions to argue technical points or redo sections of the songs. :~)

Ready for EasterCast

We have a total of nine tunes lined up for our EasterCast, which will be taking place tomorrow at Faith Roots. The kids are very excited. As soon as we got done recording the last track, Spazzerific asked, "When can we do our next podcast?" He is generally very reserved in his enthusiasm, so I was pleased to have that question from him.

In preparation for tomorrow, here are our "program notes," explaining who is doing what parts, and what styles of music we're learning/demonstrating with the kids:

1. Hiding From the Storm Outside - a capella bluegrass (recast)
Spazzerific (junior bass) Banana Brain (lead), Squirrelly Girlie (high alto)

2. Jesus, Lover of my Soul - classical
instrumental arrangement by Cat

3. I've Got Peace Like a River - bluegrass
Dave (banjo), Spazzerific (string bass, harmony vocals), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals), Banana Brain (lead vocals)

4. Piano Meditation - classical
instrumental improv by Cat

5. What a Friend We Have in Jesus - jazz
arrangement by Cat

6. In The Shadow of Your Wings - gospel
Cat (keyboard), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals - own arrangement), Banana Brain (lead vocals)

7. Schroeder's Amazing Grace - jazz
instrumental arrangement by Cat

8. Rock of Ages - bluegrass
instrumental arrangement by Dave

9. Jesus Loves Me - gospel
Cat (keyboard), Banana Brain (lead vocals), Squirrelly Girlie (harmony vocals)

Singing For Fun

I picked up a USB microphone yesterday. The kids were thrilled to try it out with the Audacity recording freeware. They sang a song we learned by rote from a recording of bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson. Once they'd learned the parts (awhile back by now), they started playing around with them. Spazzerific is doing his best to be a bass, while Squirrelly Girlie has a harmony part and Banana Brain takes the lead.

Once we get the ins and outs figured out, I intend to let them work with Audacity themselves and do some digital recording. For now, here's their singing in mp3 format.

Click to listen to Hiding From The Storm Outside

Singing a New Song

The kids had a new experience on Sunday. Daddy had to work, so we covered chorus time for him. The girls (ages 9 and nearly 7) were "songleaders" of sorts, up front with their teenaged cousin, while Mommy played piano and sang. Spazzerific manned the overhead machine, which for him is a lot of public exposure.

We practiced nearly everyday last week, using a variety of different techniques. Sometimes, we sat down at the piano. Sometimes, we took turns singing the lines of a song, one after the other, like an echo. This is a great memory exercise. We had two practices with our guitar-playing cousin (second cousin, if you want to get technical). The kids were rewarded with the congregation's compliments and encouragements afterward.

We're blessed with a congregation that does not fuss or bother about the quality of the music. The focus in genuinely on serving God. Some of us musicians can get our shorts in a knot from time to time about the standards we set for ourselves, but the rest of the church isn't too worried about it. Over the last six years, we've had children and adults alike learning to build their musical skills through worship. I know I've grown. The sheer lack of snobbery or concern about "appearances" is delightful.