I Have a Music Family

Student Writing Contest Finalist, 6-8 age group

Watercolor

Image by Henry From

I have a music family:

My mama plays violin and my papa plays violin and piano, and my sister plays piano and violin. But my family is bigger than that!

In piano I have Mrs. Lee as a teacher. She is like a Music Aunt. Her teacher was Mr. Thompson, who studied at Dr. Suzuki’s Matsumoto institute in Japan. My violin teacher is Mrs. Payton, and she is like another Music Aunt. She studied with Mrs. Schrieber who also studied in Matsumoto with Dr. Suzuki. And my third Music Aunt is Ms. Jenna who teaches group class on Saturdays. She studied with Mrs. O’Keefe who also studied with Mrs. Schrieber. So Mrs. Schrieber is my Music Grandma. And Dr. Suzuki is my Music Great Grandpa. I don’t know who my Music Great Great Grandpa is, but I know that I have one. And even further back than that are Mr. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and a bunch of others, who are all my Music Ancestors because I’m learning some of their music.

When I go to summer institutes I study with Mrs. Fang who also was at Matsumoto. Mrs. Fang is like my Music Great Aunt. She sent me a Christmas card! I see Mrs. Payton too, and lots of Aunts and Uncles in my Music family. And all the other children at the institutes are my Music Cousins.

I don’t see Dr. Suzuki, but I still think of him and remember that he is my Music Great Grandpa.

Henry From is a Grade One student at Larrabee Elementary School in Bellingham, Washington. He has studied violin with Sandra Payton in Bellingham since he was 3 ½ years old, and piano with Donna Lee at the Vancouver Academy of Music (Canada) since he was 4 ½ years old. He sings with the Vancouver Bach Junior Choir. Henry hasn’t decided what he wants to be when he grows up. So far the list of possibilities includes: writer, composer, doctor, scientist, archaeologist and journalist.

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