first thoughts
Angela Lehman-Rios
Christmas, 1978. My uncle Glenn sits down at the piano at my
grandparents' house. Someone passes around copies of the score to
Handel's "Messiah." Glenn plays a few measures, then my father, his
siblings, a few aunts and uncles and cousins, start to sing.
I squeeze in among the adults to listen as they sing through the major
choruses, with perhaps more ardor than accuracy. When we get to the
"Hallelujah" Chourus, I try singing along.
These moments--we did this every year for a span of years during my
childhood--are some of my most treasured Christmas memories.
For a long time, my brother and I were the only children on that side of
the family, so otherwise, my Christmas memories are full of adults doing
adult things--talking, mainly. Most of the time, I wasn't interested.
But to stand among them and sing was a powerful experience.
For that hour or so, those grown-ups weren't teaching me anything, they
weren't telling me what to do, they weren't patronizing me by letting me
win at a game. We were equals in the desire to make music together.
Our children have so many chances to do things with other children--and
that's good, of course. But it's also good to remember the value of
allowing them to participate in an adult world sometimes, too.
So that's why I'm looking forward to December 9, when the Richmond
Symphony is hosting a "Come and Play" concert. Any musician in
the Richmond area--young or old, new or experienced--may register and
play together with symphony members in a concert at Virginia
Commonwealth University's Siegel Center. The Symphony will send music to
participants ahead of time, graded to different skill levels. After
rehearsing all afternoon on the 9th, everyone will perform at 6 p.m.
My daughter Emily plays the violin and I play the cello. We've already
signed up. There's a nominal fee to participate, and the concert is free
for listeners. However, donations will be accepted through the Bryan and
Kathryn Harvey Foundation and will go toward purchasing and repairing
instruments for students in Richmond Public Schools.
For more information about being involved in "Come and Play," visit
www.richmondsymphony.com. The deadline for registration is November
30. The website also includes details about the performance and about
the Harvey Foundation.
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