30 October 2008

Playing the Flute

In my home town, most kids started playing an instrument in elementary school, in fourth or fifth grade.  My mother wanted me to excel at the piano, so she didn't let me start a band instrument with my peers.  Finally, in seventh grade (in junior high school), she relented and I started flute lessons. I continued with piano lessons until eleventh grade, but I did much better with the flute.  I ended up as a music major in college, performed a senior recital, and spent the summer after graduation at a conservatory in France. And then, for all intents and purposes, I dropped it. I’ve hardly played at all in the past 25 years. But unlike the piano, I could actually pick up the flute again, and someday I will.

And I just have to say that even today, with no chops, I could do better than Sarah Palin did in the talent piece of her pageant.  Oy.  She should have been a toe dancer.

14 comments:

alejna said...

"But unlike the piano, I could actually pick up the flute again, and someday I will."

I'm pretty sure I've never been able to pick up a piano.

(And yeah. Oy. That was a pretty painful performance to listen to.)

kathy a. said...

former flute player here, too. what was with all that orchestral background to a not-very-impressive piece of playing? i know some kids who could have blown her out of the water in the 8th grade, and they would have been horrified at the recorded backup.

yeah yeah, i'm not voting on the talent portion of teh competition, anyway.

Mad said...

Is it just me or was she cross-eyed throughout the whole piece?

cactus petunia said...

Oh, my. That was painful to listen to. I had to keep the sound down so the dogs wouldn't howl. I have to say, it was way worse than my piano playing.

shrink on the couch said...

I'll take your word for it. Unlike the Pied Piper's followers, I don't find the flute terribly appealing, solo. I am certain I wouldn't appreciate the Palin Piper.

Hey, I wonder .. Palin has a daughter named Piper ..

painted maypole said...

but apparently she has always worn too much eye makeup

julochka said...

my favorite part is how she goes all cross-eyed!!

Gwen said...

Oy is right. I knew there was a reason I didn't want my daughters to take up their dream instrument--the flute. We might try to copy that awesome hair, though. 'Cuz it's purty.

Mayberry said...

Mad! I was thinking the exact same thing.

InTheFastLane said...

I play(ed) those two instruments as well. And yes, I too could pick up the flute after years of dust collecting on it in my basement and play better than that. Talent? Pshaw...

Anonymous said...

its remarkable that she looks so confident in that piece, which was hmmmm.... so tough for the ears....

marezav said...

OMG that was grim. Worst part about was that I couldn't get it to stop, even my computer doesn't like Palin.

Debbie said...

My daughter plays the flute quite well and is disgusted by this video. She soooo wishes she had been born 4 months earlier so she could vote.

Woman in a Window said...

With any luck she'll playing the Republicans right outta office! Play on Sarah! Play on, dude.