Eleven-year-old Nicholas George was the grand prize winner
in the annual Laclede Quartet's Kids Concert competition.
His younger sister, Anna, also was one of the kids who played
in the March 11 concert.
The George kids started their violin lessons early. Nicholas
has been playing since he was four and Anna started when
she was three.
Both of them remember starting with the same musical piece,
"The Flower Song."
In the Laclede concert, their presentations were much more
difficult.
Nicholas played Seitz' "Concerto No. 5, 3rd movement Allegretto."
Anna played Vivaldi's "Concerto in A Minor, 1st movement
Allegro."
Nicholas was selected as the grand prize winner among the
concert performers. He received a $100 prize and admits
he's already spent the money.
Some of the money went to purchase an iDog. The furry animal
lights up, wiggles and even makes noise when it "hears"
music piped in from iPods or other recording devices.
But, he admits that some of the money was to settle up
"non-study" debts he owed his mother, Christina, for not
doing some of his educational assignments. Both kids are
home-schooled. Nicholas is in 5th grade and Anna in 3rd.
After paying up, Nicholas vowed, "That's not going to happen
again."
Nicholas and Anna are both active performers. On March
29, they played a duet at a variety show that was part of
a Home School Expo at the West County Assembly of God Church.
They played Nicholas' favorite piece, Bach's "Concerto for
Two Violins."
But, the kids' favorite concert venues were much bigger.
Nicholas said his favorite comes in July when students
at their music school play before a Cardinals baseball game.
Their selection at the ball park was "God Bless America."
The musicians set up at home plate to play.
The two kids have lessons once a week at the Kirkwood Academy
of Music. Their music teacher is Joe Kaminsky.
Anna said her best musical remembrance was the school tour
of Washington, D.C. Her favorite attraction was the Lincoln
Memorial.
But, for both Nicholas and Anna, Washington, D.C. is also
the location of some bad musical experiences.
The Kirkwood Academy kids were on a combination sightseeing
and performance trip arranged by U.S. Rep. John Shimkus
(Rep., 19th District). His hometown is Collinsville, just
across the river from St. Louis.
Nicholas said he was playing a solo in the Capitol Building
when he forgot some of the parts of the piece he was playing.
Anna said, "I also messed up big-time by forgetting my parts."
Most of their musical training has been in classical music
on the violin.
Nicholas said, "I play around a little on the piano and
fiddle with the harmonica." But, both kids do like to experiment
with non-classical music. Nicholas said his favorite non-classical
piece is "Soldier's Joy," a fast-paced fiddle tune. Anna
said she also likes the fast fiddle tune titled "Rickett's
Horn Pipe."
Nicholas said he's "supposed to practice" for 30 minutes
a day. He admits he doesn't always do that but has been
very diligent recently because of all the concert preparation.
Anna says her practice schedule is a little longer each
day, about 45 minutes. "I just like to play so much. That's
why my practices are longer," she said.
But, for the kids, life isn't all study and music.
Nicholas said he likes to skateboard and go on bicycle
trail rides. He also likes to do colored pencil drawings.
Asked about subjects, he said, "I like weird mythical things."
Anna enjoys swimming and was in a swim team a year ago.
She also likes fishing but uses plastic worms, rather than
live bait.
Her mother said Anna is the family conservationist. "If
she sees a worm on the sidewalk, she'll pick it up and put
it into the grass," Ms. George said.
(If you'd like to know more about the Laclede Quartet's
annual kids competition, visit www.lacledequartet.org
or e-mail lqviolin2@charter.net.)
