MUSIC

Music was always an instrumental (like the pun?) part of my family. In escaping the rigors of small farm life in Oklahoma, my mother left for KC and opera training. She had a wonderful lyrical soprano voice and became the featured soloist for various churches in the KC area. In fact, it was during one of church services where she sang that Dad first saw her and joined the choir to meet her. Dad had a good baritone voice but no real training. Although his primary purpose was to meet my mother, I am sure he was a good addition to the choir. They obviously enjoyed each other's company and after a fairly competitive courtship (many men were interested in dating my mom), Dad won out, and, as they say, "the rest was history".



I remember my mother practicing her scales and a great variety of vocal music. While in Iowa, at age 4-5, I would begin piano lessons. I remember the musical flash cards, the weekly lessons, the trauma of recitals and discipline of practice. Early on I realized that I had no talent for playing by ear and had to "woodshed" all that I played, learning each piece note by note. To this day, I envy those who can hear a tune and just sit down and play it. Mom would often monitor my practice sessions and I enjoyed her company and praise. She would rarely criticize, but would reinforce the instructions of my piano teacher. Mom was also an excellent pianist even though her vocal skills were superior. During our stay in Iowa, I learned the scales , worked on dexterity and speed exercises and learned rudimentary pieces like "Fifteen Men On A Pirate Boat". At age 5 or 6, I played that piece in an amateur contest on a radio station and won a $25 Savings Bond. Music began to be part of my identity.

When I was 9, we moved to Kansas and Mom enrolled me in both piano and voice lessons. At one time Mom and I were to sing together "Amahl and the Night Visitors" and practiced together for many weeks. At the last minute the production was cancelled but the experience of working together on this project was most memorable. One of the most vivid memories was when, in 5th grade, the grade school music teacher assembled the students and mothers to choose instruments for an orchestra. I wanted to play either the drums or the trumpet. As the music teacher announced his decisions about assignments, I eagerly anticipated playing either. I could not believe my ears when the teacher said I would play the violin! The reasoning behind the choice, I was told, was that I had "stringed experience" - playing the piano. This is one decision I fought from the beginning and after 3 months of agonizing lessons and complaining, I was able to give the violin to my cousin and began playing piano in the orchestra - a much better fit although not what I had hoped. Through grade school, I would play for assemblies, graduation, etc. I and four of my friends tried to form a band but sports interfered and we never got it off of the ground. I joined the youth choir at church as a boy soprano and sang several solos during church services.

During Jr High and High School, I continued to take piano and voice lessons but my activities were almost exclusively limited to singing. I sang in the operettas, glee clubs, acapella groups, barbershop quartets and even sang with a quartet that did radio breaks. Because I knew how to read music and could hit (occasionally, with great effort) a high G, I always was asked to sing second tenor. Our High School choir and acapella groups almost always got a "1" in State contests. Our choir director asked me to sing solo in state and prior to the contest, a judge listened to our contestants and made suggestions. When he heard me sing "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" he said, "you will probably get a '1' at State but not as a tenor, your register is baritone." I sang as a baritone (like my Dad) and did indeed luck out with a "1". Music groups were a big part of my social activities in High School and led to many friendships.

I attended college at a small liberal arts college in Kansas and began singing in the choir as one of my activities. Then, an opportunity to play college golf (more in Sports later) which required daily practice sessions that interfered with choir practice, ended my participation in formal college music. I continued to sing in my fraternity events and later in church choirs. My piano playing became an activity only for my pleasure and continues so to this day although my wife claims to enjoy my playing and my grandson goes to sleep when I sing and play to him.

Through the years, I have tried to teach myself ukelele and guitar with little to show for the effort. My son now is charting a similar course and is borrowing my guitar on a trial basis. I wish him better patience than I have in learning this instrument.