Could you use something uplifting today?  Well then, I’ve got just the thing for you.

Meet Erin Nightingale, 14 year old Californian.  She is nearly 100 % blind.  She can see light, color and shadow, which only sometimes allows her to recognize people and objects.  She was born that way.  She also has limited use of her right hand.

And she is an amazing pianist.

When she was 10, she was staying at her grandmother’s house and was bored out of her mind.  She made her way to the piano and started making up melodies.  She soon found she can play by ear.  BY EAR, friends.  Do you know how desirable a talent that is?

But what about that right hand?  She can’t use her middle or her ring finger when she plays.  She describes the way she uses that hand as “karate chopping” the keys.  You would think that would sound awful.  But it doesn’t.  It’s amazing.  It sounds beautiful. 

She has written 8 original songs and is working on her 9th.  And remember?  She’s 14.  When she composes, she gets an idea in her head, then plays off of it for a while.  After a few months, she realizes she should pray for guidance.  When she does that, it all comes together in a couple of days.  Remember?  This girl is FOURTEEN!

She even attends a public school and gets around almost completely on her own. 

And when you talk to this amazing Erin…you just feel good.  She has a special something.  She is taking piano lessons from a friend of mine and the three of us are currently working on a song together.  I’m so excited to be working with this amazing girl and I can’t wait to meet her in person one day.  So far, we have only spoken over the phone.

Do you want to see how amazing she is?  Yes, of course you do.  Here she is.

The songs we have sung to our daughter from her infancy have begun to manifest themselves in various form through her tiny toddler voice over the past few months.

We hear renditions of “Wheels on the Bus” mixed with “Happy Birthday.”  “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” quickly becomes the “ABCs.”

The sweetest, however, are the LDS primary songs she sings (children’s hymns).  Nearly every day, she will grab the children’s hymnbook, put it up on the piano, and say “Child of God.  Child of God, Mommy.”  The moment is too sweet, so I drop whatever I am doing and go find the song, “I am a Child of God.”  Lydia sits on my lap while I play.  We start singing together, but somewhere along the way, my voice drops out so I can listen to the sweet angelic sounds coming from her mouth.

It’s truly beautiful to hear my 2 year old sing these words in her tiny voice:

Go here to listen to children singing “I am a Child of God.”  The knowledge that I am a child of God has always been a part of my life and has helped me in many ways.  This song is something I often go back to when trying to figure out who I am and what I’m doing.

Still on my New Orleans kick!

Here’s a fun jazz video. Tell me what you think!

I started this week out by taking care of a sick husband, only to become sick myself a few days later.  There’s nothing like a yucky sickness to throw off your world!  The music that has been keeping me happy throughout this sickness are the concertos and preludes of Sergey Rachmaninoff.  If you are not familiar with Rachmaninoff, you must make yourself familiar with his music!  Gorgeous, romantic, rich, full, emotional, and oh-so-lovely are the works of Rachmaninoff.  As a pianist, I find his music a beast to play, but always always rewarding.   Listening, however, is never anything BUT rewarding!

Give him a listen and tell me what you think!

We’ve been listening to Miles Davis the past few days and, oh, I am in love. His music is just so simple and lovely sounding. It calms my nerves and makes me want to sway through my housework and cooking.

I don’t drink, so I’ve never been to a cocktail party. You seasoned cocktailers may be laughing, but in the elegant cocktail parties of my mind, Miles Davis is the background music, lazily and happily floating through the air behind the happy talk, laughter, and clinking of glasses.

At what kind of party would you play Miles Davis?

Have you heard of Kurt Bestor? One of my piano students gave me one of his Christmas CDs. He plays beautiful piano arrangements of Christmas songs. His arrangements have a lovely, soothing feel to them. We’re loving listening to him around our house this week!

We’ve been listening to this CD all week. I don’t speak French, although I must look like I do because a common question I am frequently asked is, “Do you speak French?” I haven’t yet figured out why that question is posed to me so often. I am never even in the company of French speakers. I went to Paris a few years ago, and my greatest French speaking achievement was understanding the hotel worker when she asked me if I wanted coffee or hot chocolate. I’m assuming I answered correctly, because I was given a steaming cup of bitter hot chocolate.

Anyway, despite my inability to speak or understand French beyond simple questions of my preference of hot beverages, I have enjoyed this CD my sister-in-law sent to me. I recognize all the songs because of their melodies and it’s fun to hear them in such a beautiful language!

Don’t forget to comment on the giveaway here!

I think babies and children naturally love music, don’t you? My 11 month old starts bouncing and swaying all over the place whenever she hears music. I want to encourage her in every way, so every day, we turn on the radio to a good dance music station and we dance all over the place. (Even though, after persistent prodding on my part, my husband recently confessed to me that I am not a good dancer. He’s right, by the way).

We also have a piano in the house, which she wanders over to nearly every day.

Today, she found our guitar which has been collecting dust behind the couch since before she was born.  As I sat blogging, I suddenly heard gentle guitar noises as she plucked and hit the strings.  I was so excited that she figured out what the guitar does all on her own!  Knowing her curious fingers could damage it, I still pulled it out and let her explore.

When she started to use it as a climbing gym, exploration time was over!

How do you encourage your children to explore and appreciate music?

A while ago, there was an outdoor jazz concert at this lovely place:

When my husband and I arrived, we found out it cost $10 per person to get in!  We didn’t plan on staying very long, so we didn’t want to spend that kind of money.  So we decided to enjoy the music from the outside of the concert- for free.  (Is that stealing?)

We walked across the street to the library and found some fun things to look at.  We have never spent any time OUTSIDE our library!  It turned out to be an even better place to enjoy the sounds of jazz- a non crowded place for our little family to explore some fun sculptures and gardens while grooving to the music. (Yes, we grooved).

We are love love LOVIN’ this jazz CD this week.  I’ve always known of Louis Armstrong.  But I’ve never actually listened to any of his music, other than what is in the movies.  The recordings of this particular CD sound slightly old timey, so I feel like I’m listening to a record player.  I love to turn it up and dance around while I cook dinner.  It’s music that makes you wanna move!  My sister-in-law called while I had the CD playing in the background, and she thought I was out somewhere really fun.  And that’s just what his music is: FUN. 

I did a YouTube search to hear more, and fell in love with this song, sung with Ella Fitzgerald.  Ella’s crystal clear voice and Louis’ growly voice are such a great combination.  What songs do you love by Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong?