November 9th - I'm Thankful for Music

For almost as long as I can remember, music has been a part of my life.  It's not that I grew up listening to the radio constantly, or that I became an accomplished musician, but there was hardly a day that I didn't experience music in some way.  



 Some of my earliest recollections were of my mother making song charts and then leading the singing at our, then, week-day Primary meeting.  My mom and dad sang at lots of funerals and wedding receptions so there was always a practice, some with an accompanist and some a cappella.  They sang together a lot---they had from the very beginning.


Mom and Dad singing on their wedding day at a luncheon held in their honor.  Below you see them seeing in a church cultural hall for some kind of function in the late 50's, early 60's and the next picture shows them singing at a  anniversary party for Uncle Allen's parents, Howard and Flora Tibbals in the 60's.



In their early marriage, Mom and Dad sang in a double quartet that would oft times perform.  When I was about 7, they were featured on a Christmas radio program on Vernal's KVEL.  I grew up with stories about Dad as Uintah's drum major and then marching with the University of Utah band, stories about Mom playing cymbals in the band and violin in the orchestra at her high school in West Virginia, and lots of stories about Dad's experiences singing in the Utah Centennial Chorus on his mission.

My dear Aunt Jane (with my dear Uncle Allen's money) made sure we were in Salt Lake to attend the newly released movie version of the musicals, Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, and then sent us back home with the soundtracks which were then on record albums.  Then there were the times she provided theater tickets to go see the likes of Peter Pan.  She was always worried that we wouldn't get enough culture in Vernal, but maybe she didn't realize that we had Community Concert season tickets every year!  Mom and Dad made sure we attended the high school musicals, too.  Mom even performed in Vernal's production of Promised Valley.

Perhaps my favorite music memories of that time were of my family singing together----everywhere.  Livi and I sang at functions for the "Lady Lions" several times, we sang at sacrament meetings all over the valley, we sang at family reunions, we sang for General Authorities of our church who were visiting in our home, but most of the time we sang in the car or truck----always in the car or truck (my dad had a wholesale petroleum business and in the early days he not only managed, but drove the delivery trucks).  We had our own versions of I've Been Working on the Railroad, I Love the Mountains, and Home on the Range. Perhaps our greatest claim to fame was "The Orchestra" with five different parts for the clarinet, the trumpet, the violin, the horn, and the kettle drum (always sung by my dad who could hit those low bass notes).



Singing together in December 1967



Yes, we even sang The Orchestra as adults (I'm pregnant with my fifth child in this photo - 1983).

We learned to harmonize as we would drive into Vernal from either direction on U.S. 40 and see the strategically-placed concrete numerals 7-11 on the hills advertising for a local restaurant.  Dad would see one and in his highest tenor voice would sing, "7-11" after which somone in the car would chime in a third lower and then another still a third lower, etc.  My brother, Scott, was the champ.  He could not only sing harmony but could whistle harmony at such an early age that he was often the "star of the show" when we had company at the house.

Well, Mom and Dad made sure I had piano lessons when I seven.  I not only had them, but took lessons from an incredible musician, Eleanor Marshall.  She was profiicent not only on the piano, but the organ, violin, and viola.  I only wished I would have practiced like I should have and learned what I should have learned from her. Nonetheless, I learned to play well enough that Mom and Dad would have me accompany them (not because I was perfectly accomplished, but because they knew I needed the experience).  I was later called to be the pianist for "Mutual" and the organist for Jr. Sunday School. 

My parents made sure I participated in the orchestra program and had private violin lessons from Mrs. Marshall, as well.  I didn't practice enough then either, but I participated for two years until I didn't want to give up my jr. high studentbody office and student council to go to orchestra which was taught at the high school during the same class period.  The last time I performed with my violin was in the "pit"  for the school musical, Kiss Me Kate. in 1968 when I was a sophomore in high school.

Fast forward to my married years with children old enough to carry a tune and plunk out a melody on our neighbor's piano:

Rachel at age 2 (1977) at the neighbors!

Our  piano (which was the third major purchase after we graduated from college---right behind the washer and dryer and DJ's color television) got used a lot as the years progressed.  All seven of our kids took piano lessons; some longer than others.  Liz taught piano lessons at Windwood Academy during her senior year of high school, and Rachel taught two brothers in Ottawa.  Several of the girls have been called as pianists at church and/or have accompanied their ward choirs as adults.

Rachel was in orchestra in sixth grade, but that was short-lived.  All seven of them were in band.  In fact, we had kids in band from the summer of 1987 until the summer of 2008 without a break.  Several years we had four in band at once---all different bands, and yes, the concert schedule was horrendous!  We've done band camps at Illinois State, Illinois Wesleyan, and BYU.  Rachel was a Jr. Counselor at Illinois State Band Camp.  She also did Cougar Marching Band at BYU; Abby did a semester of concert band at BYU-I in 2009. Rachel did the community band in Ottawa several summers.  Rachel and Liz performed in Europe with bands.  Abby performed at Carnegie Hall and at the Chicago Symphony Hall.  Let's just say, we've done band! 

The kids did school musicals, from Annie to My Fair Lady, from Crazy for You to The Wizard of Oz, both in the pit and on the stage.  Singing groups, voice lessons, 4th-grade recorder groups, church and school choirs were all part of the mix as well.  Sarah performed for three years with a city-wide children's choir in Ottawa, Friendly City Sound.  David was a member of Encore, Austin High's show choir and traveled to Disneyland to perform when we lived in Sugar Land.  Music has played such an important part in our family's history.  It has enriched our lives.  It has helped the kids develop discipline, a hard work ethic, and an ability to work with others for a common goal.  It has afforded opportunities to travel.  It has helped the kids win scholarships.  It has been an avenue for making life-long friends. 

Here's a walk down memory lane (and I promise this is only a fraction of the pictures I could have posted, and I didn't get pictures of most performances---not even close).


Rachel (center) and Matt (far left) rehearsing with Rainbow Express in Bountiful - 1982



Matt practicing the piano - 1984



Sarah, David, Mike, and Liz (hiding in the lavendar robe) singing Rubber Ducky at Ottawa Ward Talent Show - 1990



Matt - Shepherd Jr. High Band - 1990 (The Sousaphone was almost as big as he was!)



Sarah soloing at a patriotic program (4th grade) - 1991



Ottawa Ward Talent Show (everyone but Abby) - 1991



Rachel playing a duet at a recital - 1992



Rachel with her French Horn - Senior Year 1992-93



Liz (2nd row with glasses) - Walker Station Choir Christmas Concert - 1995



Liz  - Walker Station Choir Show - 1997



Sarah - member of AHS's Bulldog Band 1997.



David performing with Encore at Harvest Celebration, Richmond, TX - 2000




Abby performed with the 4th grade recorder group (1999-2000).



Abby - Doerre Intermediate School - 2003-2004



Liz - Klein High Marching Band - 2003



Abby - Klein High Marching Band - 2006



Marching band in Texas is a whole other world---very competitive, very complex, and very exhausting.  The kids even got P.E. credit for the semester they were in marching band.  I was exhausted after 12 years of it, and I was the mom!   (I got the fall of 99 off from marching season as Dave switched to choir and Mike had dropped band---still had Liz in band, just not marching yet).

 

Abby and Klein High Wind Symphony at Carnegie Hall - 2007

Perhaps some of the fondest musical memories have been those made at home---wherever home was!



Family band -  Christmas Eve 2002. 
Dave was on his mission so Russ and Rachel pinch-hit with his trumpet and coronet.  The "band" had been in existence since 1996 when enough of the kids played band instruments.  It wasn't long-lived as the instruments started moving across country with their owners!  This is the last year anyone played more than a solo.



Christmas Eve - 2006
Sarah, ever our spontaneous entertainer, performing with her chime mallet microphone.

 

Christmas Eve - 2006
Aunt Jane had purchased chimes for us when we lived in Bountiful, and playing them became a tradition on Christmas Eve.



Christmas Eve 2006 - I think the thing I miss the most is singing around the piano with my girls and sometimes David!



Dave and Marinda - Chimes on Christmas Eve 2007



Mike, Sarah, Iz and Baby Kate - Christmas Eve 2009


Not only did we attempt to make music, but we learned to love the music made by others.  While we lived in Bountiful, we purchased season tickets to the Utah Symphony's youth series; and DJ and I went to see the musicals produced at Pioneer Memorial Theater, thanks to Aunt Jane and Uncle Allen who bought us season tickets for our birthdays.  We took advantage of high school and local theater company performances in Ottawa and Houston.  Just this summer in the middle of the move, we took time to enjoy:



Wicked with Sarah and Israel - July 2010

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with our Dailey granddaughters in Pigeon Forge, TN - August 2010

My new Ipod, along with the docking station, has become a lifesaver here in Basel.  Music has a way of keeping me company, opening my heart to a remembrance of the good things in my life, and lifting my spirits no matter what the genre.  As Berthold Auerbach said, "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."  Plato said, "Music is a moral law.  It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."  I'm so grateful for my ability to hear and enjoy the wonderful gift of music!