As everyone else will be bored stiff by them.... but, since Nana, Grandpa, and Jeff were not able to attend Katja's latest concert at Sam Houston State University I have posted them here for their viewing pleasure. Above is Katja after the concert holding her viola. Notice, only Katja deems it necessary to accessorize her instrument to match her outfit!
A bit of background on this....
- Katja went on her first overnight summer camp to Sam Houston State University's Orchestra Camp.
- It is a combined High School & Junior High camp.
- Students audition upon arrival and are placed in one of three orchestras based on how well they performed during the audition.
- Katja was proud (and surprised) to make the first orchestra (her realistic goal had been 2nd) since she's only going into 7th grade & she was competing vs. H.S students also....
- The students got their music on a Sunday night and had to perform by Thursday. That's only four days to learn three new songs & play them with complete strangers. Seems a daunting task to me, but then, I'm clueless when it comes to producing music myself and am easily impressed.
- Her orchestra played three pieces. I will post two of them here.
The piece below is "One Hand, One Heart" by Bernstein from West Side Story. Katja is the violist in the middle of the screen just behind and to the right to the boy in front center. This first video was very shaky due to Robbie bumping into me repeatedly (while "trying" to help) and me not able to tell him to back-off (he ignored my LOOK) lest it be recorded in the audio. If you feel queasy, just close your eyes and listen only. Sorry!
This next piece was my favorite. It is called "Incantations" by Myer; however, Katja and I call it the "BATMAN song"... as it makes us think of that movie's theme song. Unfortunately, I ran out of battery before the end of the song! Next time, I'll only video Katja's orchestra and forget the others.... The camera I was using went from 37 minutes of battery charge to zero in about 2 minutes. Even I can do better math than that!
Now her teacher wants her to buy a good viola. Apparently, I have been renting an OK instrument, but not nearly up to what her needs are about be now that she's improving so quickly, playing for the Houston Youth Symphony, and aspiring to attend Julliard School of Music in New York for college (as her "role-model/heroine" who just graduated from College Park H.S. in The Woodlands just did).
Her teacher also wants her to attend Interlochen Summer Camp in Michigan for three weeks next summer. Apparently it's some major Arts Institute with lots of history. You can only attend if you are accepted after they view your audition DVD. It costs over $4,000.00 for only three weeks. ;O LOL!!!!!!! That does not include airfare and uniforms either! However, I did find out that they give out over 6 million dollars in financial aid each year, and that they favor giving such aid to aspiring violist & bass players since there are less of them, so I am hopeful. I do have a Master's in Education. Surely they have need for some of my skills and I can barter my services for her tuition?!? Anything... I'll even do windows and toilets. The lengths we go for our children. Thank goodness Robbie's into football! Texas has got to be the best place to train for that. And I used to think shoulder pads & helmets were expensive! LOL!
I think I'll go buy a lottery ticket now ;)
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