Marian's performance

[vaneramos]

Marian performing Bach





Sisters


Marian has been learning guitar for a year. Last night she performed her first solo, the first movement from Bach's Cello Suite, at her school's Christmas concert. I arrived early enough to find her in the dorm and meet her fire-bellied newt, Nimoy, then went and saved dinner seats, fortunately, because Brenna and their mom didn't arrive until the place was full.

Marian joined me sooner. I asked about exams and apparently she aced them. She has worked hard to improve her study habits the past year, and took warranted pride in declaring her lowest mark was 84.

Marian had just started learning the solo when I saw her last month. She finds the Bach piece highly meditative; time passes quickly when she practices. It moves me to see her moved by this masterpiece, her tastes expanding.

She was extremely nervous, and asked later whether I could see her trembling from my vantage point. It would've been incredible if she hadn't stumbled once or twice in such a difficult piece, but she kept her head and kept playing. From the warm applause at the end, it is clear her friends and teachers are almost as proud of her as I.

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P.S. Marian turned 14 on Wednesday.

To hear Andres Segovia perform the same piece, go here, scroll down and click on band 8.