Belting it Out

Chloe steals the show at
the Night of Blues...

Song Sung Blue

Cabaret at Redwood Theater.
Not a dry eye in the house when
Chloe sings a song sung blue...

There's a Song in Her Heart

Stage presence. Wow.

Swingin'

Claire participates in a musical group called the Lunch Bunch, a handful of kids who give up their lunch break a couple of times a week to make music together. Their hard work this fall culminated in a Gypsy Jazz concert (they all dressed the part), where they sang a song set to the tune of a piece by Django Reinhardt. It was a magical evening in the cozy setting of Old St. Hilary's...

When Angels Sing

When I consider the time and effort it's taken to get Les Etoiles to the World Choir Games, it breaks my heart that they don't qualify for the final round of competition. The other choirs in their category are vast and varied, the winning group featuring more than seventy girls and an extremely experimental repertoire.

But nothing can change the exhiliration we in the audience felt when they sang. The dresses were beautiful, the pitch, perfect, and the voices, heavenly (see video). I'm pretty sure most of the moms were teary-eyed; I was. And although they won't be going home with medals, the girls of Les Etoiles will have something better: memories of an experience they'll always remember.

Teen Talent

Wynham did an amazing job in the supporting role of Chad in High School Musical -- he crooned, he clowned around, he ad-libbed brilliantly when somebody missed her cue -- he's obviously got theater in his veins (hmm, wonder where he got that...). A large group of us went to see the show on the night of Wynham's 13th birthday, and you could tell that he was really having a good time. The evening was topped off by a stunning and creative cake made by our friend, Michele Mason, who manages Sweet Things Bakery. What a way to celebrate!

Of Thee We Sing

Claire can be such a wild card sometimes. So I was surprised and impressed when she stood straight and tall and got all her cues right as her class performed their first concert last week, in honor of Martin Luther King Day. She looks so grown up and I remember two seconds ago when it was our teenage daughter, up there, that age. For one moment I want to stop the clock so that time doesn't slip away so fast. When you have your whole life ahead of you, you're in such a hurry, but lately I've wanted to slam on the brakes more and more often. Of course, having kids gives you the luxury of living vicariously...

All Upon A Saturday Night

Chloé had her first performance at a real “gig” on Saturday night, singing a cover of Norah Jones’ Don’t Know Why. She had backup from James on keyboards and a handful of professional musicians from the headliner band, the Water Brothers. Not only does she have an amazing voice (and that’s not just a mother’s pride speaking), but she blows me away with her poise on stage. She’s just got it so together for someone her age (please don’t tell her I said that; she’s already impossible to live with!).

It was a real family affair, with Wynham in charge of video; I was assigned to get the still shots. That didn’t work out too well because I had a couple of adorable but very persistent groupies hanging off either arm, but the video work was great. Needless to say, the crowd went wild!

On the long road back, we passed a Coco’s restaurant and made an impromptu stop for a photo op (Coco is the nickname that Claire gave Chloé, and it stuck). I’m really glad I didn’t mention that they make the most wonderful chocolate cream pie (childhood memory peg). If I had, we might still be there…