My Speech for Golda's Senior Recital

 As a violinist first, then a parent, I naturally assumed my children would play violin.  Smocked dresses, tiny bow ties and miniature violin cases were a disproportionate part of the reason I even had children in the first place.

When I finally got my matched set of adorable little red-headed girls, one bigger, one smaller, I took them to violin lessons, Golda to play, Ruby to quietly observe.  It didn't take long for Golda to decide violin was not for her.  At a lesson, she flat-out refused to pick up the instrument.  Ever the dutiful younger sibling, two-year-old Ruby picked up the violin for Golda and finished out her lesson.  She would do essentially the same thing for Freestone years later on guitar.

Back home after Golda's fantastic refusal, I threw my hands up and said, "Well, what DO you want to play, then?"

Out came the defiant reply, "Flute."  I clearly remember my first reaction.  "How did you know about woodwinds!?"  At any given time, our house is littered with a dozen stringed instruments in various states of disrepair, not to mention my VIOLIN shop.  I felt a tiny bit betrayed that my young offspring had gone out and discovered woodwind instruments!

The rebel was in first grade when she played in public for the first time.  At a class talent show, she confidently announced, "I will now play Mary Had."  She proceeded to play just the first three notes of Mary Had a Little Lamb.  After that, we found a more serious teacher, and thus began years of Saturday commutes to Sugarhouse to study with Jane.  Mostly it was just Scott and Golda, the flutist learning scales, exercises, breath control and stress management, Scott learning the satisfaction of one-on-one time with his oldest daughter.  They logged hundreds of hours together in the car.

In recent years, Golda has been fortunate to study with Cindy Henderson, a life coach as well as a music teacher.  The magic she works in turning regular kids into musicians is beyond the understanding of most mere mortals.  Thank you, Cindy, and thank you for introducing us to Colleen, who has the gift of making everyone sound wonderful through her beautiful piano playing and accompaniment skills.

Scott and I thought we would also give Golda a gift today.  This recital has been the culmination of over ten years of practicing.  I thought it would be cute to present Golda with a token dollar for each day of her life that she has practiced, give or take a few.  My calculator and I tallied it up and the result was that Golda would receive the modest sum of three thousand five hundred dollars tonight.

Next idea:  Scott and I would give Golda five cents for each day she has practiced.  And to make up for the difference in cash, we would also thank her for practicing.  Golda has been a dutiful daughter, a conscientious musician, and an obedient and dedicated student.  She is driven, she is hard-working, and she has made her parents very proud.  Thank you, Golda.