Thursday 26 June 2008

Not your grandma's piano recital

I teach my youngest three children piano myself. Everyone says not to teach your own children, and I'm not saying they're wrong, but it makes the piano lessons free, and you can't beat that. At least I can't. Plus we do enjoy the flexibility of keeping it in the family. On Monday we headed down to My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe for our year end piano recital. The kids stayed in their school clothes even though it had been primary sports day, we made no improvements on the hair-do's, and no extra practising.
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At *My Favorite Ice Cream Shoppe* a pianist can earn a free ice cream cone if the owner judges your performance to be worthy of the honor.
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The kids performed from youngest to oldest. Chloe played 4 songs.

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Carmen played two.

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While Steven was playing, a mother took her son and placed him at Steven's elbow to watch. I'm sure in her head she was saying, "See, look. Look at that boy playing the piano."
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Jaclyn entertained me with her Ray Charles look.
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And we all topped off the afternoon with an ice cream cone.
(You can also just buy ice cream cones at My Favorite.)

13 comments:

Marie said...

I want to open an icecream shop just like that! What a fun idea. Where is that? I want to take the kids next time I'm in Calgary.

Melanie said...

I have visited you blog quite a bit actually, I found it through Marie, and Marie through a friend of mine Amanda. Anyways I love, love! this idea. I love my favorite ice cream shop, and used to make my husband (boyfriend at the time) play for free ice cream. Soo fun!

Humphreys Family said...

Brilliant idea! Once again I'm thinking, "why didn't I think of that?" That's the best payoff for good practising.

Denise said...

Clever idea! I wish we had one of those here. I teach my kids, too, and yeah, maybe it's not the best idea, but it's FREE! But one problem with that is, I don't teach anyone else anymore, so I have no studio and no recitals. This is a great idea for the kids to work hard on something and get to perform it.

Plus, free ice cream. It doesn't get much better.

Jill said...

What a cool thing! Do your kids know how lucky they are to have you for their mom?

Ortensia Norton said...

1) that is so briliant! That is the best recital I have ever heard of.
2) I LOVE THAT SHOP!!!!! I frequented it often as a university student.

Laurie said...

That's the most appealing piano recital I've ever heard of!! What a great place.

Unknown said...

why buy when you can play for one?? i love this idea!

Hilary said...

This is so fun! And, I was going to say "Americana!" But we don't have the corner on cuteness, now do we?!

Love it!

Tiffany said...

What a great idea for a piano concert! That is wonderful that you teach your kids! How do you do the lessons/practicing?

Michelle Alley said...

OK, this is the cutest place I've seen! What a fun outing and a cute way to get kids to perform! I love it! I have really wanted to teach my own girls, but they are such drama queens, it's been difficult. I am thinking of starting them in lessons with someone else and than transitioning them to me later. Who knows -really! Take care Barb!

Lucy said...

Barb, I love this idea! I have really put off teaching my eldest, but if I don't find someone good here, I'm going to start. There's a few downtown saloons here that might be the perfect place for a recital.

michelle said...

I. love. this. I teach my kids piano, too, and it is not easy! They would really get into a recital like that...