The original three, plus a snowbird, of Piano Pals met Sunday, Nov. 15 to practice duets.  My student Cleone Mayclin was the original instigator of the idea and she meets regularly with Karen Waltman to practice duets.  Karen was my student and is now studying with Jim McGinnis.  His work with her fingering and hand strength was one of our discussion topics.

Karen Waltman & Marie Tesch entertain crowds before "The Nutcracker Ballet" in 2007 at the Rapid City Civic Center.

My regular duet partner is Anita Paige (yes, she is the one who makes Wonderful Wire jewelry).  Anita flies south for the winter and finds marvelous stones and stuff for her jewelry making.  She and I manage to practice a couple times a year - seriously.  We both are from the ol’ school of  sight-read at full speed and keep on rolling.  If we have trouble with a page turn, one of us does a few improvisations to fill in. Very entertaining!

Our group will be celebrating it’s second anniversary in February 2010.  Since 2008 we have been actively recruiting other players who enjoy duet practice.  Our major enticement is meeting in local piano stores - first Batchelder’s and then BH Piano Gallery - so that we could have 3 or 4 pairs of players.  Or, when we have just the core group, at least everyone gets to play their own grand piano.  What a sound.

IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE FUN, then please join us.  We are planning to meet again on Sunday, January 17, 2010.  Usually we meet at 4 p.m. but we are flexible on that point.  Call me at 342-3328 and I’ll provide details. 

 If you want more details, scroll back to old postings on this blog about PIANO PALS.

Thanks for stopping by. mlt

CAN YOU BELIEVE that someone named “piano lady” would take a hammer to a grand piano?  Well,  I did!  Of course, it was an ice sculpture that LOOKED like a grand piano, and, it was for a good cause.  Cracking the piano let the folks know who won the diamond necklace at the Black Hill’s Symphony League’s auction Saturday, Nov. 7. 

The auction was the wrap-up for the League’s Sneak-a-Peek.  Just over 100 people toured the five homes decorated in holiday splendor and met for feasting and quaffing at Arrowhead Country Club.  The silent and live auction, along with the necklace fun raised $4,012.

THE COMMITTEE IS BUSTING IT’S collective buttons since last year’s sum total was $2, 350. 

That’s all for now.  We are still adding the numbers and figuring out our bills.  Thanks to everyone who made this such a success.  mlt

 People from all walks of life love good music AND they put their money where their mouth is.  This past week I have whirled about the city collecting donations for the Sneak-a-Peek Gala.  We will be having a silent and live auction Saturday, Nov. 7 at Arrowhead Country Club.  Folks who purchased the $60 Sneak-a-Peek tickets for the Homes for the Holidays Tour will have an opportunity to join the fun as they bid for these practical (and not-so-practical) items.  Of course, they also get to have the delicious Vermont Cabot Cheeses that have been donated AND the marvelous wines donated by Smith’s Liquor Gallery AND the five different hor d’oeurves prepared by the chef at Arrowhead. 

Need I mention that the women who comprise the Symphony League have tirelessly worked for a year to bring this all together?  When you tour the lovely homes beautifully decorated by professionals it is obvious how much work has occurred.   What you cannot see are all the meetings, the planning, the worrying that goes into it.  Work by committee is not for the timid!  But like the ol’ cowboy said, “You can see this ain’t their first rodeo!”  

Thanks to the Rapid City Journal for the great write up they gave us in last Thursday’s paper (Oct 29, 2009) Home & Garden section.  You can check that out if this is all news to you. Let me show you some of the lovelies that have been donated.  Folks who bid and purchase these items are actually contributing dollars to the Black Hills Symphony and music education in our community…that’s the serious part.  Now here’s the fun.

Sylvia Cox created the necklace in the photo above.  It is entirely handmade of fine silver - that means is 99.9% pure and will not tarnish. 

Photographer Ryan Becker, in the spirit of the 75th anniversary of the Symphony Orchestra, is offering a certificate for $75 off any portrait session or wedding booking.  (TOLD you there was something practical.)

The Black Hills Dance Theatre sent us six tickets for “The Nutcracker” ballet being performed later this month, so I put that together with some other donations for NUTCRACKER SPECIALS.

Nutcracker tickets, ornament and Flowers by LeRoy gift card

Flowers by LeRoy gave us a sweet nutcracker ornament and inside that little black box is a $50 gift card.  We’ll be auctioning that off with two tickets to “The Nutcracker Ballet”. 

The other special is four tickets to the ballet and a certificate for music from Batchelder’s Plummer Piano.

Another practical auction item is the Artist’s work kit from Copy Country  with cutters, slicers, measurers, markers and more.  If you are a scrapbooker you are going to want this one.

 Jolly Lane came up with some surprising goodies for their donation basket.  Sue picked out Sweet Potato Butter and Black-eyed Pea Salsa from their line of canned goods.  Then she tossed in some popcorn, gloves, fertilizer and some tools.  BUT, like the Crazy Horse basket, the really good thing is in the little envelope - a gift certificate to spend in the greenhouse!  You can always use a little more cash when you are surrounding by living, blooming beauties!  

  I hope to see you at the Sneak a Peek Auction - good food, fine drink, excellent company and all for a good cause.  Thanks for stopping by. mlt

Garden goodies and gift certificate from Jolly Lane Greenhouse.