Peachtree Prairie Quartet
When I (Ed) was six years old, my parents started me on piano lessons, which I promptly hated. Well, sometimes, anyway. As I got older, my interest waned, and when my teacher moved away when I was 14, I stopped lessons. Some years later after giving my life to Christ, I started playing again, and had to relearn by ear.
Fast-forward to today, and I now have two sons who play violin (Chad) and cello (Tyler). Between Chad, Tyler and myself, we are the whole orchestra for our church.
We enjoy playing and singing together at home when we can, and when we visit friends and family.
While we're not professionals by any stretch of the imagination, we enjoyed cutting our first 'home-made' CD for Christmas 2004 to share with the extended family.
Here's a piece from the CD called “Lo How Ere A Rose is Blooming” (700K MP4):
Ashokan Farewell
Chad recently played viola at a friends wedding, and did the piece “Ashokan Farewell (580K MP4).” Here are Chad and his Dad playing the piece as a piano-viola duet:
2006 String Camp
The boys attended their second Sforzando String Camp this year up in Chicago-land, and it was not only a time of intense learning, but it was also a real blessing, as the whole program is put on by Marquette Heights Baptist Church, and has a strong emphasis both on sacred music and on the character of those who perform.
Chad and Tyler both auditioned and each secured second chair in their respective sections (Chad on viola and Tyler on cello). They both also performed in two separate quartets. The music was challenging, and it was amazing how the whole orchestra was able to come together to a high degree of accomplishment in just one week.
Photos of the week follow - lot's more below those, so keep scrolling!
Click Play to listen to Tyler's quartet: