THE SHORTCUT

I'm always one for a good short cut.  My shortcuts never turn out very good.  Ask any of my kids.  One time while I was taking a shortcut, we ran out of gas on King's Ranch, ran into some young kids trying to get to Houston, talked to the border patrol, saw the border patrol haul off the poor undocumented kids to a safe place and arrived at the girls camp in time for dinner.  I don't take short cuts anymore unless someone has already traveled that way and can tell me, if the road is good, are there many deer, towns, check points, cops.

My nephew is wanting to learn music and asked my daughter what the shortcut was. She burst out laughing because she had looked for it, too!  And let me tell you if I knew it I'd say......... BUT, There is no shortcut.  You have to sit down and dedicate time to learning the stuff.  If you play an instrument for an example, the piano, well, practice, practice, practice and when you think you know it really well, well,........... you don't.  If you don't believe me play, in front of an audience.  You'll discover the small places where you still need to practice, practice, practice.

Shortcut??  There is NO ShortCUT!!!!!

Jose Luis Rocks!!!!

Me encanto esta foto que me envio mi amiga Ludy mientras andaban de vacaciones alla por los Ruidosos!!  El LOOK!!  Los Lentes!!  El porte!!  Si que sabe esquiar!!!  Con esto quedo justificada la falta en el recital de navidad!!!  Me encanta darle clases de piano a Jose Luis es muy inteligente y tiene una habilidad para memorizar sorprendente!!  Esto le va ayudar cuando lleguemos a los grandes compositores, va a conquistar las partituras como conquisto a esa montañana de atras!!! 

Mrs. Sibyl Fowler Mattar

This is Mrs. Mattar. This picture is exactly as I remember her!  I've been thinking of her and can honestly say I'm here playing the piano because of her.  She was my music teacher in the 7th and 8th grade. She tried to educate us little mexicans at Mary Hoge Jr. High in Weslaco, Tx  about the great composers.  I was mezmerized.  I learned about Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky.  How Beethoven went deaf and Tchaikovsky fell in love with a ballerina that didn't like him.  She'd play these great big records and we'd hear the history.  I was dissapointed when the bell rang.  I remember there being an exam and her picking some students to learn to play the piano.  She had pianos in the hallways and in the closet and in her office.  2 students per piano.  There was an old one in the ensemble room that some kid had thought it funny to pour acid in the inside and watch the foam curdle.  The school district had gotten it fixed.

She took us to the library once to watch a musical.  Her disclaimer was that she wasn't particularly fond of said musical and didn't like the way the main character was portayed but, she had to show it to us because it was a course requirement.  The musical was Jesus Christ Superstar and well, I didn't like it either.  Too many hippies, as my dad would say.

She was very prim and proper.  Once, she let me practice in her office, usually only the GOOD students practiced there, and I could not believe all the plaques and diplomas she had. The walls were covered and I have to say I got a small glimpse of who this lady, my music teacher, was.  I was impressed.

I never saw her again after the 8th grade.  She passed away this past March 23, 2011.

Thank you, Mrs. Mattar!!

CHRISTMAS RECITAL DECEMBER 19th

Practice!!  Practice!  Practice!!!!!