I’ve always enjoyed watching people’s reactions when I answer the question, “So what do your parents do?” Honestly, my family is as artsy as it gets. My dad is a long-time ballet dancer, and my mom is a professional musician. Even my grandmother and aunt are talented painters.
Growing up, my two brothers and I were required to practice the piano for half an hour every day, taught by none other than our own mom. Of course, we complained. There were days when we threw tantrums and banged on the piano, only to get put into time out. We probably were the only 5-year-olds who knew how to pronounce “Bach” correctly. My mom told me she trained us to all know 10 composers and 10 painters by kindergarten. With 40 years as a professional organist under her belt, my mom continues to be the example of dedication that gives me a boost along my own journey as a musician.
My mom playing a concert in Hudson, Ohio, just last week.
My dad dancing with the Irish National Ballet, c. 1984
And then, of course, we also all danced. My older brother, Evan, was rapidly excelling at tap while I did ballet for many years, and my little brother, Jacob, followed closely in our footsteps in the same dance forms. We performed in ballets such as Cinderella, Giselle, and Firebird, not to mention that we’ve never missed a single Nutcracker in 10 years. Little did I know how incredible it was to be a part of a company under the direction of someone so hardworking and creative as my dad. He still inspires that excitement for the arts in me by the way he gets so passionate about Balanchine choreography while watching YouTube videos.
Every weekend it seemed like my brothers and I were dragged along to another church to hear organ music or sit in a dark theatre somewhere for a symphony or ballet. We were always surrounded by dancers, musicians, and visual artists that were all friends of our parents.
Somewhere along the way, though, I realized how lucky I was. If it weren’t for my parents forcing me into these “extra-curricular activities,” I wouldn’t have been exposed to all these amazing art forms or developed the appreciation for the fine arts that makes me who I am today. Sometimes it is extremely frustrating trying to (and sometimes failing to) reach across that gap to describe how important this is to me.
I have to admit, it’s fun. In our house, it is not uncommon for my mom to be “rocking out” to a Brandenburg Concerto or for my dad to be caught hot-glue-gunning sparkly jewels to some piece of fabric in the basement. Nowadays, I notice the small things. It’s really amazing getting to play a Bach Flute Sonata with my mom who has always been my accompanist or getting to watch my dad perform/teach ballet while helping him brainstorm ideas during the creative process.
My brothers, my dad, and me during Nutcracker 2006!
My older brother is graduating this May with a double major in Information Science and Music, because his love for singing has brought him that far. My little brother is in men’s choir at high school and still plays piano (with experimental jazz), and I have now been a flutist for 10 years, ballroom dancing on the side, and drawing in my spare time. Slowly but surely I started fighting these influences less and less, and I’m not exactly sure when I started letting it become a part of me. I guess it just always has been. I’m sure my brothers would say the same.
Image Credit: Clara Yetter and family