I tried to write my top 10 list this week and although Bruna’s topic is wonderful (“10 songs that tell the story of your life or the soundtrack of your life”) – my list was crap so I didn’t actually write a top 10. Anyway, most of my childhood would’ve been that creepy soundtrack to Blue Velvet, a Scottish bagpipe marching band, way too much Strauss, Theme from The Godfather, and Ride of the Valkries on full blast… so you are probably relieved I didn’t go there.
I’m going to rebel today and sidestep the top 10 because I can’t focus on anything else besides my 10-year-old daughter, Fiona, a gift.
She’s musical.
She’s my heart walking around on two legs, holding a sweet-sounding violin.
She’s been practicing for months and months to prepare for today’s concerto competition. She played Haydn’s Violin Concerto in G Major. It was her first time playing in the Intermediate Division (10 to 13 year olds).
She got second place!
I am one proud mama.
First place went to an amazing 12-year-old boy who played cello. Oddly, there was no third place awarded – this is a very talented, musical group of kids and one or two definitely deserved third place. (What were you thinking, judges??!)
So in place of my usual top 10 list this week, I’m posting a video of Fiona’s beautiful playing. If you watch it (because it’s 6 minutes long and who has 6 minutes to watch a video?)…
- please ignore my husband’s rather alarming video fumble at the very start – he was shitting himself with nerves and pressed zoom instead of just not pressing anything.
- notice how Fi feeds off the audience – it’s something to behold. Playing in front of people focuses her – you can tell that she greatly enjoys giving an audience the gift of music.
- you’ve got to see the cadenza at the very end (it’s the part where she plays all on her own without the pianist to “show what she can do” – it’s at 5 minutes 15 secs. if you want to fast-forward…because seriously, what mom has 6 minutes to spare?) It. Slayed. Me.
So – to my friends Stasha and Bruna, who I know will forgive me for not doing what I’m told – instead of posting the top 10 list I’m posting the video of Fiona playing today.
Which, as it turns out, is actually the soundtrack of my life. (-:
Gratuitous Reader Poll
After her performance today Fi pounced on the opportunity and begged me to let her get her ears pierced. I had originally told her she can get them pierced when she’s 12, but she is dying to get them pierced, lots of her little friends have pierced ears, and she seems ready. What do you think – yay or nay?
Linking up today as usual with Stasha over at Northwest Mommy. What are you waiting for? Come link up!
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BEAUTIFUL!!! Totally worth it to rebel! She is a joy to watch and listen to…I did love the part without the piano, and it’s just her playing. Awesome! The zoom in/zoom out part was even funnier with the explanation behind it
P.S. Yay for the ear piercing…she totally deserves it.
I wish I could laugh at the zoom in/zoom out part, because it really bugs me. (-;
SHe plays beautifully. Very confident and a great artist, she picked up her solo without hesitation. I actually teared up Ado. I cannot begin to imagine how proud you both must be!
I was Fiona’s age when I had my ears pierced. And twelve is usually served for tattoos anyway
Thanks Stasha! I teared up too. (-: Wow – 12 is for tattoos! Oh no!
And that was second place? Who won first- Itzhak Perlman? I teared up along with you and Stasha
And sure, let her have her ears pierced, Congrats!
Oh that was so funny Iza. A most deserving cellist won 1st. There was another girl, a friend of Fi’s who is a violinist – who also knocked it out of the park and greatly deserved either 1, 2 or 3 – and yet they did not even award a third! We were shocked. PS: She got her ears pierced yesterday. (-:
The Soundtrack Of My Life http://t.co/d21pbgFG by @AdoTheMomalog #MondayListicles
Wow! She plays so beautifully!
(-:
Wow! She is AMAZING! Really amazing.
Thanks Kate. (-:
Wow! I am in awe, Ado! Kudos to Fiona. She plays with such emotion already and you should be so proud.
As for the ear piercing, I say let her. She seems like a responsible and good kid and wouldn’t this just make her day, and in turn, yours too?
Thank you Jackie! (-: We did end up getting her ears pierced yesterday and you were right – made BOTH of our days. (-:
Wow! I live in a houseful of musicians, so I know whereof I speak when I say Fiona is gifted! You can tell that she feels the music, not just plays it, and she passes this feeling on the to audience. No wonder you can’t focus on anything else, and no wonder you are proud! And your line about her being the soundtrack of your life totally made me tear up! As for the earrings, I’d say it depends on the child. I told my daughters they had to wait until they were 13 – it was a coming-into-teenagehood thing, something special for 13. One of them ended up waiting until she was 16 – she wasn’t ready. The other got hers at 12 because my step-daughter was getting married and the younger girls were going to be in the wedding party and certain earrings were part of the get-up. But the 12 year old was ready to handle the responsibility. Fiona seems like the type who would manage, but you know her best
If she’s ready for taking care of her ears while they’re healing, being sure to wear earrings and keep everything clean, and you’re not going back on a rule you laid down, then go for it 
Thanks Susanna – (-:
Isn’t it a gift to live in a house full of musicians?
We got her ears pierced – it was fab. Felt more like me being open to changed as opposed to backing down on a rule so it was just great. It’s been a day and so far she’s looked after her ears…!
Wow. She is SO talented! I can see why you couldn’t think of anything else but her…I can’t even imagine how proud you must be. I definitely say YAY on the ear piercing.
Congratulations Fiona!!
Thanks so much Jacqui, we are very VERY VERY proud. Ahem.
Oh, my goodness, she’s so talented! I love it. You must be beaming with pride!
I was only going to watch half of it, but I found myself sitting through the entire 6 minutes. She plays beautifully, and you should definitely be proud!! I got my ears pierced at 9, so I think you should definitely let her.
WOW you watched the whole 6 minutes? I’ll tell Fi. Thank you. (-:
Very beautiful, Ado! And I’d be fine with the ear piercings – we did my oldest girls at age 7, I think, and that was actually a lot later than most of her friends. Fiona seems like a pretty responsible girl who can handle the ear cleaning.
A lovely video of a lovely performance! She certainly deserves her hard won success. And I did watch the whole thing, and I am a mom, and I am your future speaking — as your kids get older, you have more time! Amazing but true. Mine are now 25 (a quarter century of being a parent? You must be kidding!), 21 & 17 and I’m still a very “active” parent. So hang on to that idea during the more stressful times! As for the earrings, I vote yea. I’d set 12 as the age for my kids but agreed to 10 for my daughter as part of making it to a 2-digit age! The boys haven’t wanted theirs done which is fine. There is some care involved and my daughter did have 1 infection a few weeks after the piercing but I was watching for problems & it was treated easily. And if you choose to allow it as a gift to celebrate her success, remember that she may remember your pride & gift far longer than she remembers the actual reason for it. Congratulations to all of you!
That was incredible, very poised and gifted 10 year old you have there. I would have liked your list, loved Blue Velvet and who can resist a little Wagner
Thanks Paul! (-:
I am so inspired by her! 10 years old and amazing! I know you are proud as you should be. Tell her she is awesome and keep going!
Holy cow! That was incredible! I watched the whole thing cuz how could I not? How did she not get first place?!!! I’m sure the cello boy was lovely but there is no way he’s better than her. Yes, let her get her ears pierced! Give her anything she wants! Wow!
You are so nice for those comments thank you – but the cellist was *very* good too and so were all of the others. An incredible group of children. We got her ears pierced and in a moment of weakness my husband asked her what she’d want if she could have anything and she said “Paris and Venice.” (-:
Amazing! I was just reading about how Fi is when playing the violin but now, I know and she is gifted! Ado you have every right to brag.
And about the ear piercing, I say, YAY! (my 4 and 2 year olds are already ear-pierced, it’s partly a culture thing)
Thank you very much! PS: On the earring thing – it does vary from culture to culture doesn’t it? We brought Fi to Oman when she was 3 mos. and EVERYONE thought she was a boy b/c she didn’t have her ears pierced…!
How cool. What a gift and how wonderful for you that you can hear that beautiful music while she is practicing. I hope she loves to practice. I have to bride my daughter. The sad thing is music is one of her natural affinities. So fun to see.
Thanks Jamie – she doesn’t love to practice (seriously, what kid does?) so it’s always kind of a push to get it started esp. if we wait until later in the day – but once she starts she gets into it, but it’s *always* a push to get it going. And if we skip a few days – oh, forget it! (-:
Congrats to Fiona! And about the ears? I let Camryn do it on her 6th birthday, but I now feel that was a little too young. She ended up having to get them re-pierced on her 10th birthday cuz she had to have her previous earrings cut out of her earlobes cuz she had them on way too tight and her lobes healed around them. Since the re-piercing a year and a half ago, all has been well. Also, I got mine done at 10 and it worked out well.
She had to have her earrings cut out of her earlobes? Man…I’m gonna tell Fiona about Camryn just to give her that much more reason to douse those ear lobes in alcohol 3 x/day! (-:
Your kid needs some more encouragement. She’s good in playing musical instrument. She’s truly talented!
Wow. I know I’m a few months after the fact, but this is amazing. New reader here, and just happened to stumble across this post. Your daughter is so talented, she plays beyond her years! Loved watching.