Weiser is coming up!

As a celebration of the upcoming National Fiddle Contest, we have been watching last years videos.

Mom and Pat drove us to the contest last year, but weren't able to stay to see anyone play on stage. It was an exciting year as Isaaiah placed 5th of Pee Wees from all across the nation. Isaaiah played nearly flawless, and had a great time on stage. She was really hoping that Grandma and Grandpa would stay to see her play, but they promised they would see the video.




Gabriel also played excellently, he had to get up early in the morning and be one of the first persons on stage...he had a tiny bobble and powered through it bravely. I have video of Gabriel, Isaaiah and I waiting outside the locked door (as they hadn't opened yet) and we are warming up together with a Seitz Concerto...and at that time the Garbage man has the sense of timing to come by and be incredibly noisy next to the cement and the brick....the kids play on....and the Garbage truck proceeds to drop trash all over the street....Pretty soon though we went inside and practiced inside.



I think that Isaaiah's second round was the same day as Gabriel's but now I don't remember.




I do remember that Isaaiah was excited to make it to the third round...the year before she hadn't made it to the third round....but as the video shows...she was tired.



With all of their rounds finished, the kids were free to bring out the squirt guns, eat the iced watermelon and cherries...play frisbees and chases, play dolls in the shade with their friends. Watch their older friends on stage and root for their friends. We enjoyed the evening shows in the air-conditioned building and took our much loved and needed shower...slept deeply and greeted the beautiful cool grass field again the next day. The kids loved the Weiser village that we lived in...friends living nearby, Eileen and Jeff shared our shade and iced tea. Their "Weiser Grandma and Grandpa were just across the way" Their "Weiser Grandparents" Rick and his wife were there to applaud their efforts, loan them good books to read, hold the candy they collected at the parade, and celebrate the fun of being kids with them. Rick is an adult beginner student of Eileen and a faithful volunteer at many events. He is fond of both of the children, but seems to especially champion Gabriel, reminding Gabriel that he should be very proud of himself, and that Rick is very proud of him. Rick and his wife really added alot of sweetness to the kid's experience. When something exciting happened the kids would run over to their trailer and explain it all animatedly and even sometime get something nice to eat.

I am posting a video of the most beautiful waltz played by Tristan Clarridge, who won Nation Grand Champion. He has won this contest many times. Isaaiah noticed in this video that Tristan's violin is not tuned normally....it is legal to play a cross tuned violin in the contest, they just don't want you to tune or tune back on stage...This waltz would be almost impossible to play on a regularly tuned violin..I don't know the name of this waltz...if you know, please tell me in the comments...enjoy



Here is 30 second television advertisement for the Fiddle Contest..cute: