Nocturne

I felt what Oprah calls "an ugly cry" coming on. My chin quivered, I wrestled with it, but my eyes leaked anyway. I comforted myself to know that my dh, sitting beside me, was also dabbing at the corners of his eyes. It was half-way through her performance of Chopin's Nocturne in E-Flat, and at that point, I knew that she had the magic that night, and she was going to do it. She played beautifully.

Some years ago, my dh and I saw another gifted young girl, Rebecca Bales, play this song so movingly that dh turned to Lauren and told her that if she ever could play that song in recital like Rebecca did, he'd buy her a grand piano.

The piano became available this past winter, and Lauren had not yet played the piece in recital, but had begun to learn it, so the piano was purchased. Last night, she more than earned her instrument and fulfilled a parents' dream.

Congratulations to Lauren for her performance and for completing all seven Suzuki Piano books.