Bianca's viola recital

With year-round school, it's hard to find a summer camp. Every strings camp that sounded good either took place while Bianca's still in school or back to school. There was one we signed up for, but it was cancelled. So instead, I decided to put Bianca in private viola lessons. It would help with her technique and the little things the orchestra instructor at school can't help each child with. So we found someone who teaches viola/violin and started at the beginning of June. Her teacher Brian graduated in viola performance from BYU so I thought he'd be a good fit. And it's gone well. He expects a lot--she has to memorize her songs every week--and Bianca has really had to step it up. The recital was on Saturday, and Bianca has really improved.

The funniest part of the day, however, was something Portia said. Bianca--and the other younger students--have all been working their way through Suzuki book one. So when one of the other kids played a song for the recital that Bianca had already played herself weeks before, Portia yelled out, "Bianca wrote that song." I pressed my hand over her mouth and told her that while Bianca has written a lot of songs, she didn't write that one. Funny, and embarrassing.

Assuming the private lessons aren't too much work when orchestra picks back up in September, we might keep going with them.

Deciphering 4th Grade Language

So Bianca started fourth grade two weeks ago. This year is starting off much better than last year. She already loves her teacher, Mrs. Lloyd. Bianca comes home excited every day, telling me the projects they're working on and even about finishing up her homework. There are also a lot more boys in her class this year. I had a feeling fourth grade was going to be the year that the boys started catching up with the girls. For the last three years, Bianca's gifted class has had maybe five boys tops. This year it's half and half.

When I went to pick Bianca up from school yesterday, she got in the car and said, "Mom, I think a boy likes me."

I said, "Really? Why do you think that?"

"Well," she continued, "George said he wished every girl in the class would explode except for Bianca."

I laughed. I guess it could mean that.

Bianca's Concert

I hadn't thought of it that way until my sister's husband Rob said that Bianca's recital was a concert, since she was the only person performing. It just so happened to be that way because Bianca's piano teacher only teaches one other student so she would give them each their own recital. Bianca prepared quite a few songs for the big day and had most of them memorized because she had practiced them for so long. We pushed it off so we could have the recital while all my family was in town. I didn't get a chance to write this blog before now because I was recovering from a house full of family and then the fifth anniversary of Miranda's death. But I don't want to pass up this opportunity to say how proud and impressed I was with my Bianca who did a great job. This is what she played:

Reuben and Rachel Folk Tune -- Arranged by John W. Schaum
Canon in D (Duet with Bianca’s piano teacher Michelle Willis) -- Johann Pachelbel
Mirage -- Michael Runyan
Sonata in C -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mountains Moving -- Original composition by Bianca Quigley
Jump of the Grasshopper -- Original composition by Bianca Quigley
The Entertainer -- Scott Joplin
Ballade -- F. Burgmuller
Rain on a Dark Morning -- Original composition by Bianca Quigley featuring:
Violin—Michelle Willis; Viola—Bianca Quigley; Cello—Spencer Willis; Piano—Jeana Quigley

Eric's Fan Club

I love Sundays. That's the day Eric cooks. He loves to cook and I love when he cooks. I really wish he'd come home from work every night and cook, but no such luck. Still, I'll take my Sundays. Yesterday he made fresh crab and avocado melts for dinner, along with homemade key lime pie. Not to mention the Belgian waffles with strawberries and fresh whipped cream for breakfast. Wow, I'm salivating just remembering yesterday. It was funny, though. When Eric was boiling the crab, Portia came in asking what that stinky smell was. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there were Tigger and Jillyboo hanging with Eric in the kitchen--his biggest fans, besides me. And Bianca.