Getting Pickled In Music

Last night, we were at the New Year's East-Meets-West Concert of Favorite Classics. Because of our association with a few music people, Sienna had a good share of concert going experience. She is the youngest audience but not necessarily the least intended one. I am not talking about her ability to appreciate music, just her ability to sit through. Also her respect for rules and order. If anyone around her makes any noise, she goes, "shshshsh..."

We take her to a concert, because she can sit and it's convenient. So we would rather pay for a ticket for her instead of a babysitter. A few times later, she might have just become more music-conscious already. I told her at least three people in the orchestra have been to our house or have had dinner with us. "Remember the baby we went to visit a while ago, his dad is playing the cello there." In her mind, half of the people in the world play some kind of instruments, even though her mommy is not included. She sings more than she speaks. And friends are amazed to find her humming along with Yo-Yo Ma's pieces being played on CD. Last week, Abby wanted to give her a present, all Sienna picked was a recorder. She just couldn't see anything else in the mountain of toys at the store actually called "Toy Mountain".

Well, that's probably the effect of "getting pickled in music", in the words of our master pianist friend Yiga.