My wife Jan played the Crabby Cabbage in the kindergarten musical this week. She wouldn't let me come to the performance, but she did practice her lines for me:
"Plants, plants, hear me once and for all,
These weeds are getting way too tall.
I can't see where my head touches the ground,
And I am the queen, after all."
I have a video of Jan saying her lines, but she has threatened to cut off my fingers if I let anyone see it!
Next week I am putting the first song from Timless II on iTunes. I'll let you know when it's available. The title is Preludio, and it is based on the Prelude from Bach's B-flat Partita. Of course I add my secret sauce to it...
Last week I had a nice long visit with my college piano teachers. Delores Hodgens and her husband Samuel Howard taught me almost everything I know about the piano. Honestly, I can't think of a thing that I learned at Juilliard that they hadn't already touched on.
Delores asked me to hear two of her advanced students who are performing in competition next week. I had a feast of great piano music, wonderfully played: Beethoven's op. 53 and op. 57 sonatas, Chopin's 3rd Ballade, the Ginastera sonata, and Rachmaninoff's op. 39 #5 Etude-Tableau.
Delores and Sam have had a long and distinguished international career as duo-pianists Hodgens and Howard. Before that, they both studied at Juilliard with Rosina Lhevinne, who also taught Van Cliburn, John Browning, and many other wonderful pianists.
Next weekend I have two concerts in St. Louis, sponsored by Solo Piano Radio. I have emailed all of my fans in the St. Louis area, but if you have been left out for some reason, please let me know and I will give you the details.
Isn't she cute?
Mike with Sam and Delores Howard
