Joyeux NOEL

Spring Recital 2012

"Bouree" by G.F. Handel

Special thanks to beautiful Savannah for her piano accompany!

Christmas recital

Christmas recital 2010

Friends, so sorry for the out-of-focus video, I got this wonderful new camera that takes terrific pictures, but I am still having hard time dealing with its video function.  Thankfully, the sound of the music makes up for it!  My sweet girl's Christmas recital!

pets, let's adopt one, or two!

One of my biggest regret in life, is I never learn to master a musical instrument.  Not that I was never given a chance, I let it pass me by.  In another word, I was not appreciative enough, or mature enough to know at that time, music would play such a big part in my life.

When my passion in classical music grew stronger, I finally picked up an instrument, and not just any instrument, but one of the hardest, biggest (for me) - a cello.  But at the age of late 20s at the time, it was too late!  Really, it was TOO LATE.  I played though my suzuki books 1, 2, 3... but I was not good.  All the bad things that associate with an adult learning a new instrument kicked in all at once - stage fright, knowing what a "real sound" should be but could not achieve it, lack of time to practice...  I just could not understand why I could be so good in one type of art, and so bad at the other!

So When Noel was 2, and showed interest in violin, I was determined to make it happen.

Well, fast forward 3 years later, Noel starts to realize, hey, violin is not fun all the time,  it is hard work and you need to practice a lot!  We had our first "violin tamtrum" about a year ago.  Learning from my own experience, I was not going to let her win.  TOO BAD, you practice, or no computer game!  I don't care what other parents would judge me, Noel, you ARE learning your violin!

So ladies and gentlemen, here you go, Noel's Spring violin recital at 4-year-old.  "Mirror mirror!

keep going, recital is almost here

keep practicing!

Noel and her love - Tonka the race car!

Practice violin used to be fun for Noel.  At age two, her teacher and I both agreed that we needed to develop her interests in the instrument so I never push too much.  Well, she is four now, time to practice like a real violin student.  Her teacher gives her a practice lot weekly and I am the one who needs to write that into my ever-so-busy schedule! 

"Mama, this is hard, violin is too difficult!"  Noel seems to figure that one out before long.

So for months now, practicing is like a drama.  Noel tries to get away without doing much, she whines, she finds excuses, she gets mad... she has tried every trick a 4-year-old can think of. 

And I have to deal with every new trick she comes up with (trying to get away from practicing)  So starting from last week, here is the new rule - no violin, no computer!  10 minutes of violin =10 minutes of facebook (game) time; 20 minutes of violin, well, you bet, 20 minutes of online time!

It works so far......

...but when she did it, it's a happy moment, for us both! By the way, did you guys see that dino shirt she has on?  It's the first shirt she ever picked out all by herself...from the boy side of the catalog...why am I surprised?

practice!

let me sing you a song

...and please tilt your head to the left for a minute and half! 

thanks to our lovely babysitter Jessica!  

"mommy, see what I did when you are away..."

"Jessica taught me to dip my brownie in the milk!" Noel says, "...and I love it!"

and watch me show off.....