Elisabeth's Month of the Arts

November was a busy arts month for Elisabeth. She participated in her first art show (a homeschooler event), played her first piano solo, and sang a solo in church.

Her art show pieces centered on a abstract entitled, "Jazz" where she was trying to, "Paint what jazz music sounds like." Most of the rest of the pieces involved squirrels. Having recently found that she could draw a pretty good squirrel they have been featured in many of her works lately.

The piano solo was for a festival. The audience included her teacher (pictured with Elisabeth), the other students performing in her group, and their parents. However, her primary audience was the judges. Laurel and I were impressed with the calibre of judges brought to listen to a group of 5-8 year olds play basic pieces.

If I may brag for a moment. Elisabeth did great! She was the only student to have memorized her pieces and she performed them very well. In the end she received a ribbon and a superior rating from the judges. In fact the judge's only quibble had to do with the tempo of her "Mickey Mouse March." I don't think that he ever saw the show because he said it should be more stately and march like. Elisabeth played it like on the show. There will always be artistic difference, even at 6 years old. Afterward she said she was 1/8th nervous and the rest excited.

Finally as advent was beginning Elisabeth took on a solo as part of, "Angels We Have Heard on High." She sang the verses while the rest of the children sang the chorus (Glooooooooooooooooooo-ria). Originally Elisabeth was only supposed to sing the first verse but she was given the second as well when that soloist failed to appear. She had been working on the piece all week playing the piano and singing along so she knew it well. When it was all said and done she was shy about any appreciation shown to her by the congregation. I think that she just sang it because she wanted to - and that was enough to convince her that it was worth doing.

The photo was taken during rehearsal - we didn't want to interrupt the service. The photo was also taken during the chorus because she looks much nicer without a microphone in front of her mouth.

-J

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