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Chamber music

We're a family band, playing bluegrass and classical music for 10 years now. And the kids are constantly re-forming their sound, as now two older brothers are off to college.

The 3rd CD, Black&white remains the most popular one available, and we were tickled pink to have been considered for a talk/variety show that aired fall 2006 on Fox. We've played for Missouri's governor Matt Blunt during his campaign, for our bishop in Kansas City, for true bluegrass fans at Winfield on the Acoustic Kids stage. 

We took 1st place at the New Musicians Showcase, sponsored by the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre. The kids were thrilled to see so many folks from different genres of music cheer them on, with standing ovations after each song. And July 2008, we put on a benefit for KC kids and families at the Liberty Performing Arts Theatre. We had many guest bands help us raise money by doing what they do best: play bluegrass. All funds went to three area children's organizations: Alexandra's House, Children's Mercy and Marian Hope Center.

We couldn't have planned this route; we're just following what He's laid out for us as a family and trying to keep a slow enough pace to enjoy the scenery. And as the kids "age," and our two oldest in college, the face of Chamber music is changing. And Dominic, 15, Sophie, 12, and John 9 are picking up on new instruments all the time.

Music opens doors to conversations with many we've met. Whether we're at libraries, nursing homes, festivals or private parties, folks and kids love to talk about their experiences, about all our instruments and the kids' training. (We love to talk, too, if we could just keep track of the still rambunctious, experimental 9-year-old John, the actor/comedian in the group.)

All began early playing via Suzuki method--parent, teacher and student, weekly and parent and student, hopefully each day. What a great discipline, a  lasting gift to give our children. So we began with Gabriel at 4 on violin, and Luke at 5 on guitar, Suzuki style. From there, as our children hit the age of 5 or so, they began classical training. And our violin teacher, a bluegrass performer with Fresh Cut Grass, suggested we look at some bluegrass as a family. Sounded good to us!

Nothing is ever easy. We almost lost Sophie off the back of the stage at the Glenwood Theatre; strings have snapped and broken just before or during a performance; we've sweated in 105 degrees at a state fair; and nearly frozen in 40 degree weather at a barn hoedown. We've forgotten instruments at the Liberty Performing Arts Competition (Luke can tune a bass uke to cello-talk); we've gotten a bit steamed and stressed at setting up and breaking or taking down.

But it's given us this nugget of what a family does and can do when we work together and follow talents as given by God.

Luke, 20, flatpicks a mean classical and bluegrass guitar. He's been strumming since age 5, teaching guitar since age 13, as he managed a neighborhood paper route with his brothers. He also began learning classical bass at age 13. In the early days, he was the main arranger-producer; he still lends a hand now and then. He can play almost any instrument we have. This summer he worked at Children's Mercy Hospital as nephrology assistant, as he has for years. He attended a masters class for classical guitar at the American String Teachers Association in June 2006, was accepted in the Emerging Leaders group at William Jewell College and volunteers with ACES, Area Career Enhancement Scholar program in Northwest Missouri. He's put in many hours shadowing a variety of health professionals and, in his senior year in high school, he presented a health talk on Wolff-Parkinson-White, a heart condition his mom once had. He's played with the Northland Symphony Community Orchestra and Missouri Western's Youth Orchestra, and currently plays with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra, the William Jewell Chamber Orchestra, and a classical guitar ensemble. He was featured in 2006 on FOX 4 with Phil Witt and his Young Achiever's segment. Luke is a junior at William Jewell College, in the honors Oxbridge program. He's majoring in molecular biology, minoring in music, and this year is studying molecular biology at Cambridge in England.

Gabriel, 19, is a sophomore at Benedictine College, Atchison, majoring in criminology and computer science. He's interested in international relations, federal security issues, music and Italian! He's an R.A. this year at Benedictine. At home, he taught violin for 3 years. He took 3rd place in the Beatrice, Neb. fiddle competition in 2009. As of February 2008, he won the Northland Symphony Concerto contest for high school students. He, like Luke, was featured on FOX 4 with Phil Witt's Young Achiever's segment. In 2007, Gabriel took 2nd place state in fiddler at the Missouri State Fair in the junior division. He began Suzuki at age 4 on a 1/16th size violin. He's mastered the fiddle and handles mandolin, bass and guitar well. He donned a cap his freshman year in high school as honorary page at the Missouri Legislature, being introduced by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and State Sen. Charlie Shields. He's volunteered for U. S. Congressman Sam Graves. He's played in youth orchestra as one of the first violins at Missouri Western State University. He played with the Northland Symphony Community Orchestra through high school, and volunteered at Children's Mercy in Endocrine. With his report on "Phthalates: Legal or Lethal?" he took 1st place in the Homeschool Science Fair. He's planning on junior semester abroad with Benedictine's Florence, Italy program.

Dominic, 15, is one of the key vocalists and main violinist with the family group; he also plays the mandolin, guitar and piano. Once known as "smiley," he still manages to keep things light during music practice. Under the direction of Kristi Knecht, we're retooling our family trio with Dominic at the lead. He is a dedicated altar server at Our Lady of Good Counsel. He's always interested in nature and biology, having constructed our water feature and ponds out back.  He took first place in the Home School Science Fair with his project on converting guppies from freshwater to saltwater (no guppies were harmed in this experiment; they adapted just fine!). He relishes the science classes of zoology, biology and physics. As a high school sophomore, he helps out with JMJ Communications tapings of area talks, he volunteers at Research Hospital in ER, and is now considering a career in medicine. He's active in the pro-life group "Truth Illuminated" and a classical lit group.

Sophie, 12, had to copy her brothers when she was 3. OK, so the violin was a wooden toy, but she didn't care. She even fancied herself as Shirley Temple until Mom intervened over those really short little dresses! We did keep the curly lock look, though. Sophie moved to cello at age 4 and is the main vocalist, if only she would keep her mouth on the mic. She's been singing at an early age, as we dubbed her, "singing Sophie." She's getting quite proficient on her cello, and on violin and mandolin. She took guitar lessons from Luke this past summer. She can usually be found singing and reading, perched in our Redbud tree with brother John. Winter time finds Sophie with her brothers, sledding or playing board games or reading.

John, 9, marches to his own drummer, yes a percussionist, but mainly a violinist and bassist. He's loving playing his 1/8 size bass, while Mom plugs feebly away at the 3/4 size bass Luke didn't lug to England this year. He is our vocal joker, on stage and off. We never know what to expect. During a show in Phoenix this past February, Luke always introduces me, while saying "I'm not going to tell you how old Mom is." John pipes up: "Luke you know how old she is, she's 47!!" Gratias tibi ago, John. Ingenuitive, imaginative, exhausting and exhilirating on good moments, exasperating many times, you parents with kids with this temperament know the feeling. They're all gifts from God!

Mom, no age required as John has already revealed it--a year ago, plays the bass, a little mandolin. Gotta love that deep sound after playing flute for many years. I credit the Suzuki method for the kids' ability to learn easily and perform a wide repertoire from memory. I also publish the FIAT, a Catholic homeschool newsletter, and have begun my 10th year of homeschooling this year. 

Dad, alias the roadie, never played an instrument and isn't about to begin. But he enjoys it when the family plays, and has picked up the train whistle on Orange Blossom Special.