Emily is partaking in an end-of-school sing-song play of sorts in a few weeks. She attends a non-school, home-school, school away from home... thing one day a week. Every student participates in the event, which will involve 80 hours of preparation, a decent bit of stress, and 4-5 minutes of a show... a long-standing tradition in cultures that no longer have to worry about what to eat.
We were told that she was going to sing the lead solo parts. Emily's brain is strangely attuned to the art of memorization, so we were not surprised by this announcement.
Maggie teaches a 2nd day at this non-school, home-school, school away from home... thing each week as well, with Emily repeating a few of the classes and spending the rest of her time playing hacky sack and smoking behind the cafeteria.
The music teacher asked Maggie the other day if Emily could sing the solo parts for that classroom as well: "She sings so beautifully. It really is a joy to hear her voice"
Silence. Initial assumption that the teacher is making fun of Emily... then slow realization that the teacher is serious, does indeed like Emily's singing voice, and wants her to perform in the other class' sing song show."Uhhmm, I suppose... do you really???... well, OK"Those of us who live in Emily's real world are in a bit of a shock. She has been perfecting the fine art of underage-operata-star search-piercing-drawn out-shaky singing since her second birthday. Indeed, she has been punished and her voice banned from different parts of the house at various stages of her life. While excelling in the art of Volume, it has not been observed by those with ears to hear that she has been gifted by what is generally termed 'pitch' or 'tempo'.
There are two options here: Emily is either growing into a talent with the outside help of her teacher, or the non-school, home-school, school away from home... thing has a horrendous availability of talent to compete against. I will let you know in a few weeks.