That fateful hot summer day circa
1977 when my youngest son Brian
was fourteen, he became a bit bored.
Over at the end of our couch in the
LR leaned BE's inexpensive Yamaha
guitar which she used as an APS
children's music teacher.
Bri spied it and thought "what the heck!"
Finding a chord book somewhere he
learned a few chords and, being a pretty
good singer already from graded choir
days at church, the next thing you know
he was playing and singing "Mr. Bo
Jangles."
New tunes followed and the next thing
you know, he was taking private guitar
lessons.
A few years of lessons and to UNM where
he received a BM, a scholarship, and
a Masters in Classical Guitar; he then did
graduate study at Tulane in teaching guitar
to children.
In the early days he played dinner music
at several restaurants, including Los Cuates
and El Pinto, 8 miles north of Albuquerque.
Also hundreds of weddings, receptions,
parties, dinners and even once for a
Dick Cheney political event....
He can play in any key, much by ear, and
has performed in a number of ensembles.
He began teaching children's guitar at
UNM’s special program for kids, circa
1991, six classes of them on Saturdays.
Additionally he has his private studio.
Pictured are two classes of UNM Prep School
children's guitar students in the Keller
Auditorium at UNM as they appeared
recently in concert.
Several of his hundreds of students
(over the years) have become virtuosos
and have gone on to become performers
and teachers.
There is an annual State Music
Conference, held each January at UNM---
Students from around the state audition
and, if accepted, are able to perform with
The All-State Choir, Band, and Orchestral
Groups. There is also a guitar orchestra,
which this year included over 100 students.
Brian's student of ten years ---Chris,
a Korean boy of about sixteen years
was selected for the prestigious position
of Concert Master for this group.
Brian states that Chris's younger
brother may eventually prove to be
one of his best students..ever.
The boys, from a professional family,
gifted Brian for Christmas one of their
extra "seven-eighth" size "guitars for
kids" which the boys have now just
about outgrown.
-----------
For our annual family gift-opening
evening this year, which includes
reading the Christmas story...and much
singing of carols---and "the answer is
blowin’ in the wind," "if you miss the
train I’m on," "in the village the lion
sleeps tonight--- ah weemaway," and
a dozen others, he brought and played
his gift, the seven-eighths guitar.
But alas...we forgot "Mr, Bo Jangles."
----------
Mil
9 FEBRUARY 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment