Cohen Family Adventures: Faviana's Piano Recital

March 22, 2009

What a gorgeous day! The sun is shining brightly and encouragingly. The light breeze carries hints of the cold. Faviana is excited about her second piano recital. She chooses her dress and decides to keep her hair down. The piano recital begins at 1:00 pm at the Cumberland County Community Church.

We arrive a few minutes to one and see that Pappou and Yiayia are already in the audience. Faviana runs to them and sits down next to Pappou. Baby Ava and I follow her in, video camera and photo camera at the ready. The program has Faviana playing seventh.

Faviana follows the program and with each person finishing she counts how many songs are left to her. She is excited for everyone that plays or sings. As the person before her finishes, Faviana stands up ready to march down the aisle.

Her name is called. Faviana's teacher, Miss Judy, introduces Faviana and talks a little about her activities and what she likes. Faviana steps up on to the stage and sits at the piano. The piano is on a raised dias so she is visible to everyone. I go around to the left and sit in the front row to videotape for missing Dad who has to be at work and to take pictures. Faviana begins and she performs it from memory. She did not even want to bring the sheet music with her just in case! Faviana is playing "You can Fly" from the Disney movie, Peter Pan.

Faviana plays the whole piece and I can see her singing the song to herself as she plays. "Think of the happiest things...Now you own a candy store. Look! You're rising off the floor. Don't wonder how or why. You can fly! You can fly! You can fly!"

She finishes her piece and comes off the stage into the open arms of her teacher who gives her a big hug and compliments how well she did.