Fiona's Playlist

Hey-- did you know that Reed loves music?

Did you know that I love to write about it?  And him?

I know that you know all of that, and I am thankful that you read my posts anyway.

I looked back in my Facebook feed, and we bought TLO his first guitar on Valentine's Day of 2017.  He was a little over two years old, and a piano followed a few months later.

"Look- a PAIN-O!   Um... um... I need, I need, I need a stool."

He has been a music man ever since!

So many memories!

I am so very thankful for the role that music has played in Reed's life so far, and I am excited to see how this story unfolds. We do our best to nurture the interest; we keep a variety of praise and worship music playing in the house, watch music videos of Christian artists, and see a few concerts a year. In fact, I just purchased tickets this week to see Mercy Me in April!

This past Saturday, we decided to expand our musical horizons a bit by visiting Music Hall, the site of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.  Apparently, the Cincinnati Pops puts on a "Lollipops"  concert for children ages 2-9 a couple of times a year.  Of course we decided to check it out!

I am so glad we did!

Let me just mention that this was my first-ever orchestra experience as well.  I really have very little musical talent or experience.

In other words, I was just as excited for this concert as he was!

The doors opened an hour before the concert for the "Family Fun Zone".  During that hour, the kids were able to try out all kinds of instruments (guided and sanitized by instructors, of course) and do a craft related to the concert.

I'm not sure what he is doing here with the clarinet.  Any musicians out there who can help me out, or are you just as confused as I am?

The violin was my favorite!

We visited as many music stations as we could, then moved on to the craft tables.  

I'll admit it- Reed is just not a craft guy... not when he is in a room full of instruments, anyway.  I did at least half of this hippo, and then he promptly threw it in the garbage not even five minutes later.

Yes, that is a hippo.

The craft is supposed to resemble Fiona, the beloved hippopotamus who was nurtured to health after being born prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo. She's an icon here in Cincy- like there are books and jewelry and t-shirts and Christmas ornaments and stuffed animals and, yes, orchestras made in her honor.

Photo: NPR

I am not a Fiona super-fan or anything, but I do enjoy her story, and I am a TLO super-fan.  

The concert's title was "Fiona's Playlist", and the program included animal songs like "Mickey Mouse March", "Carnival of the Animals", "Hedwig's Theme" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and, my favorite, "Circle of Life".  The concert also included a few children's songs about Fiona by a Grammy-nominated children's musician and Cincinnati native Zak Morgan.  A zookeeper from the Cincinnati Zoo popped onstage in between songs with different animals and joked around with the conductor while giving facts about the zoo, animals, and conservation.

Reed was riveted for the entire hour of the concert.  We relaxed, munched on yogurt-covered pretzels, and talked about the different instruments and sounds.  "Fiona's Playlist" was the perfect introduction to the orchestra for Reed... and me!

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