Tuesday Traditions 13

Today's tradition is a relatively new one in our home.  It has only been going on for a few weeks, but I really hope it sticks.

Josh has been playing the cello for a little over 2 years now.  He started in 6th grade and immediately fell in love with it.

Here he is in his very first concert. :)

Oh my goodness!  He has changed so much in two years!

After playing for a whole school year, we decided to find him a private teacher so he could keep progressing. He started lessons with a sweet older gentlemen in the neighborhood and loved it.  He was doing really well and progressing faster than any student that his teacher had ever taught.  He progressed so quickly, in fact, that a few months ago his teacher suggested that we might want to look for another teacher because he could not keep up with Josh anymore.  :)

It is here that I will tell you about another S.M.I.L.E.S. (Sweet Moments in Life that Empower the Soul) for our family.

I discovered that the process of finding a new cello teacher for someone who is serious about studying the cello, is not an easy task.  A lot of people I contacted would not take a transfer student and many of them had a hard time believing that he was playing out of the Suzuki Book 8 when he had only been playing for 2 years.  I was getting frustrated.  I just wanted to find someone who would give him 2 minutes and really listen to him play.  Someone who could see his potential and give him a chance even though he is classified as a "late bloomer".  (Which is a whole different discussion that I might have to blog about one day)

Well, through a series of small miracles, we found our teacher.  Nicole Pinnell Jackson, and she is absolutely amazing.  After hearing Josh play, these were her words...

"Josh, even if you don't decide to be one of my students, I have to tell you...anyone who hears you play and does not immediately want to take you on as a student is crazy."

Cue waterworks from the mother.

There is more to the story and I will blog about it another day.  This post is already longer than I planned on.

Long story short...we love Nicole and Josh is in heaven.

Now back to the tradition part of this post.

Our new tradition is a nightly concert in our home.  Or as often as we can.  It has been so fun to play with Josh.  I have to say, our home has been a much calmer place at night since we have invited this beautiful music in on a regular basis.  

Here is the song that we just played at his recital a week or so ago.

(Sorry about the end of the video...the Ipad started slipping on the stool.)

I am seriously in love with this new tradition of ours.