Children's Choir Performance

I have been able to keep a Christmas tradition going one more year.  Today we did a musical program at a retirement community. It went really well. This year I took my children's choir from the Galena Ward to The Fountains.  It is a little retirement home near the airport. It really worked out perfectly and I am grateful for the experience.  

My choir member include Mateo, Porter, Soffia, Tessa, Summer, Aubrey, Bryce, Evva, Ella, Annika, Brady, Ryker, Anna, Derrick, Ruthie, Lena, Kaleigh, Olivia, Lily, Aryelle, Kennadee, Zach, and Raef.  My pianist is a young woman, Anna K., who has been such a blessing for the choir. Her family moved in a couple of months ago.

For the program, the kids sang "See the Joy", "Christmas Bells", "Teach Me To Walk/Love is Spoken Here", "That First Nowell", "Away In a Manger", and "Peaceful, Silent Night".  I also had some individual performances. Raef and Zach played three songs from Christmas Kaleidoscope. Tessa and Summer B. did a beautiful rendition of "A Special Night". I sang "Star of Bethlehem" and Anna L. did an adorable version of "Mary's Lullaby".

The last song was "Peaceful, Silent Night" and Kennadee C. sang "Silent Night", with the choir singing a different part. Then the two parts were put together and it was just lovely.

Rinar was able to participate because he accompanied on the solo parts, so it really was a family affair.

Someday we will be able to share this tradition with all of our kids when they are old enough. I look forward to it.  The residents enjoyed the show and all of the kids visited with them afterwards. 

Music is the perfect way to get the Christmas spirit. 

Seriously Perfect Pitch

I am so utterly amazed at Zach tonight. I cannot believe this kid.  

I decided to test his musical ear, and it was absolutely astounding. He stood with his back to the piano. I would play a random note and then he would guess what it was.  I could not stump him, except when the note was over two octaves above middle c.  It was amazing. Then he told me to play two notes at a time. If it was a pretty common chord, he could easily tell me the notes. If the chord was disonant, he could get at least one of the notes.

Where did this child come from?  

Since Rinar's mom is a piano teacher and wonderful musician, I thought we had to play the game with her.  We called her and put the phone on speaker.  She played her piano and he guessed the notes.  He only missed one!  Each time she would play a note, I would watch his face.  Before he would answer, his face would light up so you just know he is totally going to get it right.  And he did.

I don't know what this kid will do with his musical talents, but I am just blown away by what he can do.

Galena Children's Choir

A few months ago I decided to start a children's choir at church. Our ward is really lacking in the musical talent department. I figured if I started working from the ground up, it may inspire the older folks to actually open their hymn books on Sunday.

We have been practicing for the last few months with the song, "An Angel Came To Joseph Smith". It is in the Children's Songbook, but I found a two part choral arrangement that had a little bit of difficulty.  It was wonderful. The kids did their best performance in sacrament meeting. I think there were about 25 kids.  I was so proud of them.

Music is a powerful tool that can really draw us close to the Spirit. I can think of many times as a youth, the times that I remember poignantly, and it always revolved around a song.  It could have been one that I sang in Primary, or in the Primary Program.  I also sang in my ward choir when I was pretty young, and it was one of those things that helped me to solidify my testimony.

You never forget the songs.

For one of the practices, I talked to the kids about this very idea. It can be hard being a kid, and especially when you want to stay faithful to the church and the things you know are true. I told them that this song can help to strengthen them.  They can remember Joseph Smith and the hard things that he did, and that he always stayed faithful, even under incredible scrutiny and mockery.  Just like Joseph Smith, they can follow his example and stay faithful.


A song has a way of doing that to us. It penetrates to our core and can be seared on our hearts. I hope that as I continue on with my little choir, they will gain greater musical knowledge and skills. But more importantly, they will come to know who they are and feel the love of God in the music they get to perform.

The Meadows Christmas Program

I have finally been able to get back on track with a Christmas tradition Rinar and I started many years ago.  We shared a Christmas program at my grandmother's retirement home tonight.  We haven't done one the past three years because I have had two pregnancies in three years. It just wasn't going to happen.  But it did tonight and it was wonderful.

My grandmother lives in a nice little retirement home in St. George, Utah. Rinar, Raef, Zach, and Linda (Rinar's mom) all participated.  Linda was awesome. She just jumped right in a played the piano for pretty much all the numbers. Rinar usually plays all the accompaniments, but she did it this time instead. She also played a beautiful piano solo by Sally Deford that incorporates Still, Still, Still and Silent Night.  

But the best part was watching my little boys do many different musical numbers so confidently and with pizazz. It was neat.  They played 5 different songs on their violin/viola.  They sang two duets, Little Drummer Boy and Away In a Manger in perfect harmony. Raef recited the Christina Rossetti poem "What Can I Give" and then sang a solo, The Nativity Song.  Zach plopped himself down on the piano and played some jazzy number he likes to play at home with a lot of his own Zach improvisations. It was neat to see how they would just keep going or adjust if they messed up a little bit. It didn't phase them at all.  They love an audience and they have no fear.  I don't think many people can say that about 8 year-old boys, but I definitely can about mine. 

I  had to drop the babies off at the babysitter's house, so I got there 10 minutes before we were supposed to start and the kids were already standing up there playing pieces they have been working on for the past few months. They took turns and they played and if they messed up a little they just kept going.

Oh yeah, I also sang several songs and then we did a quick sing-along of Christmas hymns at the end.  It was funny but I sang Silent Night with an arrangement by Sally Deford and I got all choked up and almost couldn't finish. It just touched my heart so much. I have no idea why, nevertheless I was grateful for the feeling.

Both of grandmothers came to our little concert and many residents were there as well. It was a lot of fun. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Rinar played a really great version of Jingle Bell Rock on a saxophone he rented for the month from the music store.  He is such a ham. It was a lot of fun seeing him play and work the crowd.  I begrudgingly admit that it stole the show.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. I look forward to doing it again next year.

John and Helen, Norma and Kimo

John and Helen came back from St. George on Friday night and stayed until Sunday morning. They caught a flight back to St. Louis. Then we went to church and did our Sunday stuff and in the afternoon, guess who Rinar went and picked up at the airport?

Yep, that is Norma and Kimo. They stayed over for dinner and some games and were taken to the airport Monday morning. Pretty cool, huh? Here is a picture of Norma and Kimo looking at my blog on my computer. I thought that was kind of funny so I had to take a picture and put it on  my blog.  

They say that Salt Lake City is the crossroads of the west, but I think they are wrong. It is right here at my house.  So stop on by. We will pick you up at the airport, feed you dinner, and let you sleep in a comfy bed.  The house may not always be clean but it is loved-in.

I have also been working on a musical number with some women from my ward.  It is going to be fantastic. I am anxious to perform it this coming Sunday. We are going to sing, "How Can I Keep From Singing?", and American folk hymn: 8 ladies and me, Christina, Leanne, Jonna, Rachel, Jen, Keri, Lenore, and Cyntha. It is such a joy to be able to make beautiful music with people. I forget sometimes how much I love it.  By the way, Sally Deford writes gorgeous music and arranges classics and you can get them for free!  If you are looking for a musical number to do for Christmas, Easter, whatever you should take a look at her site. It is fantastic.