Sunday, March 15, 2009

Bluegrass Group Featured in The Tennessean

The Bluegrass Group that our kids participate in, Rudderville Ramblers, was featured in The Tennessean newspaper on Monday, March 9th. The group was featured with a full page spread in the Williamson A.M. section. (We've got a couple of copies to send to the grandparents!)

As part of the full story, the reporter put together a photo montage with music and spoken words from their leader, Mrs. Underwood. To get to this montage, click on the following link -> http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=SPECIAL0372

This came about because the kids utilized the library for one of their practice sessions. Someone who works in the library heard them and called his sister, who is the reporter for The Tennessean. The reporter came to a Bluegrass performance at the Benton House and then also came again to one of their rehearsals.

FYI, the group's next upcoming public performance is at the Franklin Barnes & Nobles bookstore on Friday, May 8th, 2009.

MTSA Honors Recital (3/8)


The Middle Tennesse Suzuki Association has two Honors recitals per school year. The kids were invited to play at the first one this year, held on Sunday, March 8th. Miss K played Polish Dance and Mr. M played Perpetual Mobile.

Pic 2 from Miss K

Here's another neat picture taken from Miss K's mobile phone.


Evansville Suzuki Workshop (09)

The weekend right after Joe and Shantel's wedding was the Evansville Suzuki Workshop (2 trips to Indiana back-to-back!). We traveled up to the workshop on Friday afternoon, and got there in time to meet the rest of the crew from Nashville for dinner.

This is always a fun weekend for the Suzuki studio kids as we travel to Evansville, stay in a great Marriott hotel with a beautiful pool (not the postage stamp variety common these days), have a full day of classes and great teaching / activities and lots of great fellowship and food with the studio group. ("Think" lots of dessert too, thanks Jeff!) Also, this year, most of the kids that went from our teacher's studio were the teens - they had a lot of fun together!

Lunch on Saturday at Maxine's Cafe' and Bakery - great food at this place!

Michael playing during the end of day "play down". This is a very well known activity of all Suzuki Workshops and/or Institutes. The kids play from a repertoire of pieces, starting with the most advanced down to the beginner pieces; adding more and more kids as the pieces get easier. The last pieces to be played are always the twinkle variations.
It's always impressive to see the group size at the end of the play down, and this is actually not everyone yet! A couple more rows of younger children are still to play.
The Harpeth Suzuki Studio children from Nashville; with one of the workshop teachers, Gabriel Bolkosky (standing in back, behind Miss K), and their teacher (standing in back, behind Mr. M). Gabriel Bolkosky gave a recital for all of the children attending, his playing really inspired the kids.

Shantel's Wedding Day (2/22)

Choo and I were asked to be Host/Hostess for Joe and Shantel's wedding. Since we got so busy helping we didn't get any of our own pictures of the Big Day. We do know the photographer though so I'm hoping to post some of them once Shantel gets to see them - I heard they just shipped out!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Day before Shantel's Wedding (2/21)

We drove up to Indianapolis, Saturday, February 21st, for my sister Shantel's wedding. We drove right into a snow storm going through the area but still made it for the Saturday night wedding preparations. Joe and Shantel had invited a few people, especially those coming into town, to come over to the wedding location for dinner and decorating. She made an awesome chicken casserole and 2-layer carrot cake.


The guys trying to get one of the light strands fixed.

Success!

A unique way to wear tulle! (The bride having fun before the big day!)

My dad with Choo

The kids got out their violins and played some of their Bluegrass and other fiddle songs (Celtic, etc.) They got to dualing with each other which is why Katie is playfully poking Michael in the next picture.

Pics from NCC Concert (2/8)

As mentioned in our Christmas letter, Miss K sings in the Nashville Children's Choir, Touring Choir. The group performed at Grace Lutheran Church in Clarksville on Sunday, February 8th, 2009. This was the first time I've been able to get pictures of the group - hopefully, I can get a better angle next time, and fewer heads! :)





Dr. Madeline Bridges is the Director of the choir and also heads up the entire Nashville Children's Choir program at Belmont University.
Miss K is in this picture, barely. She is just right of the director's head, on left side of picture (middle row).