The Performer's Parent

As I prepare to attend Andy's first choir concert tonight, I've been thinking back to my own choir concerts in high school. For a while, I sang tenor! We had some terrific voices in Hersey's choir -- I wasn't one of them. But I had a lot of fun. I wasn't in band, because piano, the only thing I played, wasn't a marching band instrument. Watching CLS's marching band, I see it still  isn't! (And why is that, I want to know!)

Where does interest and talent in music or performing come from? You see it run in families sometimes -- one of Greg's best friends, Connor, is a truly exceptional musician, and his dad plays at a high level and people in mom's family sing. Another friend, a sax player, has a talented drummer dad and music teacher mom. In my family, my father always sang (but when he sang with my godfather, we wished they would stop -- both had good voices, but together they were ... well, not at their best); but my mother, she will admit, has a tin ear. She played French horn in high school, she says, only because everyone had to play an instrument. A couple of my brothers have some musical talent -- one began taking piano lessons again when his kids were younger,  and his twin brother played guitar for a while (and his guitar is now one of Greg's prized possessions). But my aunt, mom's sister, has three daughters, and I've never heard of any of them playing anything (my aunt owns a piano, but I doubt anyone really ever played), and as far as I know, none of their kids have displayed an interest in music. I suspect my aunt shares my mom's musical dis-ability.

What about your family? Do you or your child's other parent have performing ability? Was it passed along to your kids -- or were you pleasantly surprised by their talent? Is there a "performance" gene? There's your topic -- discuss!

Off to the choir concert. Look for pix soon!