Talented Kids!
A few years ago I did a stint as the music teacher at our local elementary school. It was a powerful experience, sometimes ecstatic, sometimes excruciating, but always redeemed by the fun of working with all the little kids in our town and watching them grow. When my own child moved on to high school, I stopped teaching at the school. But I still love to work with kids when I can, and this year I have had several opportunities.

Rosie Upton
Last spring I had the privilege of working with another amazingly talented teenager, a singer named Rosie Upton. I met her a year and a half ago under rather surprising circumstances: I play every month at the local nursing home here, and frequently parents will bring in their young children to perform a song or two with me. The kids are inevitably as cute as they can be, and they bravely battle their way through a few tunes to the wild delight of the old folks. But naturally, although the cuteness and sweetness level is always extremely high, the musical level is not always of the best. And that’s being diplomatic.

But one day, before I went over to play, the nursing home staff called me and asked if a little girl could come and sing a few songs with me. I told them, as I always did, that of course, I would be very happy to have her come over, which she did.

She was only 13, and as I turned to start playing her song, I was expecting the familiar enthusiastic but not-so-great singing I had become used to. But I was in for a big surprise. Before Rosie had finished her first phrase, I knew I was dealing with a serious talent. I wheeled around to see who this was, as she effortlessly sang several pieces ranging from Broadway to Grand Opera. Her intonation was flawless, her range limitless, and her sense of music was obviously deep in her bones. That evening it was the start of many subsequent collaborations, including the ”Terrible Beauty” project. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Rosie, I can promise you.