The Crabby Cabbage

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