Max and Riley in Recital

The last week of January was a busy week for the boys. They both played piano recitals. It was Max’s first recital in public.  He had played a solo recital (of 10 pieces!) at his teacher’s house earlier in November but this was in front of all of her students and their parents.  Max played two pieces, The Snowflake Rag (syncopation is not easy!) and Rage over a Lost Penny by Beethoven. He just started piano in September so he's doing really well!

He also got a new violin.  He had been playing on a 1/2 size instrument but he's been growing like a weed so we got a very nice 3/4 size violin. Our friend Ron, the concertmaster of the ABT Orchestra came over with new strings and adjustment tools and made the instrument sound fantastic.  Max is very pleased. Click on the photos to see the video performances.

Max was also chosen by his ballet teacher to be the student demonstrator at the ABT National Curriculum Seminar next week and was accepted and given a full scholarship to the ABT Summer Intensive program which starts the end of July and lasts 2 weeks.  Go Max!

Riley played two pieces as well. He started with a Debussy Prelude called Les sonts et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir (the sounds and perfumes swirl in the evening air) and finished with the Brahms Intermezzo op. 118 no. 1.

Then on Sunday he the first of three auditions for Summer Music Camps.  He played the Debussy, Brahms and finished with the Sinding Frühlingsrauschen.  He's competing against some talented kids and their "tiger moms" but he played very well and so we're hopeful.