Have you sat through piano recitals????? I not only sat through many of them; I also played in MANY of them! When you are having to sit there and listen to about 25 little children play their recital pieces while waiting to hear your own little angel play his or her song(s), WELL---you know that these recitals can get LONG and tedious.
I mentioned in a previous blog (June 14) about my piano-playing years. I started taking piano lessons in the 2nd grade and took them until I graduated from high school. So--my parents had to sit through at least 11 spring recitals.
When I was looking through some old photo albums recently, I found some pictures that I want to share with you today.. Luckily, I found names on the back of the pictures---because I probably would not have remembered all of these people now. Maybe --since I'll list names with each picture, some of these Big Stone Gap, Virginia people will 'google' their names and find my blog. Wouldn't that be neat????? Here are the three pictures. You can click on them to make them larger.
This was Mrs. Harlow Williams' piano students in our Spring Recital in 1956. I was finishing the 8th grade that year. Standing from left to right: Nita Holding, Anna Lou Reach, Carolyn Fugate, Phyllis Peterson, Maudine Benedict, Nancy Hagy, Susan Hollifield, ME (Betsy Banks), Carol Neely, Anita Clark, Roberta Clark, Nancy Edmonds, Nancy Rush, Ann Liddle, Joyce Bailey; Seated from left to right: Elaine Marrs, Joyce Ann Mulvaney, Nancy Ball, Libby Carter, Fonda Potter, Nancy Mullins
This one was taken my Senior Year, 1960. This is only the high school group in this photo. Standing from left to right: Teresa Damon, Doris Buchanan, Elaine Marrs, Jill Banner, ME (Betsy Banks), Frances True, Phyllis Fugate, Susan Hollifield, Victoria Gates, Mary Elizabeth Quillin; Seated from left to right: Howard Sandt, Gale Revilla
This picture was also taken in 1960. This is the group who entered the annual Piano Competition held at Pennington Gap, VA . Standing from left to right: Ann Marrs, Mary Elizabeth Quillin, Nancy Darnell, Norma Gwaldis, Jill Banner, ME (Betsy Banks), Susan Hollifield, Frances True, Victoria Gates, Linda Jessee, Teresa Damon; The three younger ones in front from left to right: Kathy Shupe, Henry Stout, Margaret Anna Bryington
I loved my piano playing years ---and thought that Mrs. Williams was an excellent teacher. BUT--if you have sat through these long recitals before, today I give you my deepest sympathy!!!!!! ha ha
Hugs,
39 comments:
Beautiful photos Betsy and I hope maybe you will hear from a few of these ladies - that would be fun!
Sat through a few..now we sit through concerts, one of our Mediums kids plays the flute...
What a very sweet and gorgeous memory Betsy. When you were in Senior, I was in Grade 4 that year. Wow! And you look fabulous! How reflection changed indeed according to that Rose of the movie Titanic.
You are so adorable Betsy. Can I call you Big Sis?
I would like to adopt everyone my Sister. Oh I love this post so much. I wish I have some old photos with me to share.
Yes, I love piano recitals but I have not been to anyone.
I would love to invite you to listen to the music composed by this young man from Germany. I made this blog for him.
Hope you'll take time to visit him and let him know that you have listen to his work. I met him in You Tube and he is a very good young gentleman. Very polish and refine.
His name is Deniz Inan.
Thank you very much Betsy. He will be over the moon to hear from you and everyone. :)
Lovely memories, Betsy. Its always nice to remember all the wonderful thing we did in our youth.
Thanks for stopping by :)
How wonderful that you have these pictures, I hope someone from the group comes across them and discovers your blog.
Very nice post.
Sunny :)
I love these pictures, Betsy. You look so pretty in those gorgeous frocks. As a matter of fact, I took piano lessons for a couple of years when I was young (we mowed the teacher's yard in exchange for lessons). And, being the extremely shy person that I am, I HATED recitals. In fact, in my last recital, I had two songs to play and was so nervous that I couldn't remember my second one, not even the name of it! So I played the first one again, thinking I'd remember the second by the time I'd finished. But I still couldn't remember it so I played the first again, for the third time! Still couldn't remember, so finally I gave up and took my bow. The crowd applauded wildly; I think out of relief that I wasn't going to play that song again! :-)
Gee, and here I have been using aliases on my blog to protect the innocent. I never thought about people googling themselves. Hope you find some of your old piano playing buddies that way.
Cool pictures.
Those photos are a wonderful reflection of what I have always thought to be such a wholesome period in time. Jamie really wants to learn to play the piano. --Randy
Betsy, as usual, you and I have so much in common. I, also, took piano lessons like you...and played for many years. Even taught piano some. I took piano lessons from Mrs. Virginia MacChesney in Big Stone Gap, and also Mrs. Cornett in Appalachia. I played the flute in the band one year. I entered 2 hymn playing contests at a younger age than the contest requirements..(higher age bracket) and won 2 years in a row. I'll try to find those pictures and post them for you. I'll make a special post on my website just for you...for that LOL..
Amazing that you've got all those old photos. The last recital I went to everyone dressed a lot more casual.
How wonderful to have these pictures and great that you have the names of these people.
Oh, you OWE your parents BIG TiME!
Wow what a formal affair!
I always admire people with the gift of music.
Piano recitals were the end of my piano lessons. I had no fear of performing, but I wanted to play for my own enjoyment and not for others. Push came to shove and I refused to budge. I still don't know why I was so obstinate, but it became a matter of principle for my little 8 year old self.
I sat through many piano recitals for my own children...as well as band and orchestra.
I love how all the kids dressed so formal, now everyone looks sloppy. ;0
Lindsay has a big dance show at the end of the school year showcasing all the dances from all the groups over the year. She used to only be in ONE or TWO dances over the 3 hour show and it was so boring! Now she is doing more and is in about 6 dances, so it is more interesting.
Your parents were awesome!
Well Betsy, you still have the beautiful smile I see in the earlier pictures.
3 of my girls played instruments in grade school and my third daughter played French horn in middle school but that was the extent of it all.
Beautiful pictures. MB
My Mom thought it was the best idea ever for her girls to take piano. My sister played (and still plays) beautifully. Unfortunately, music was not my forte. I got in trouble on a regular basis for spending my practice time playing with my toes! I thought (and still think) its pretty cool to be able to play with your toes;)
But I made it through 10 years worth of lessons with not much to show - except for the ability to read music and lots of pictures of me and my sister in matching dresses with our piano teacher!
Great memories in your photo albums. Someone sure was smart to write all that information on the backs of the photos!
I'm always so amazed by pianists. They're so talented!
Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures. It's nice to see you at different ages. I played violin from 3rd grade to freshman in college then switched to viola.
I just love the piano and wish I hadn't quit when I was young and stupid!
Thanks for your visit. I have had a lot of family visiting and have not sat at the computer much at all. I have one grandson still with me and he'll be leaving tomorrow so, once I've cleaned my dirty house, again, I'll probably blog again!!!!
You sure were a pretty girl, Betsy, but even more you have such a happy and pleasant smile.
We've never sat through piano recitals but our daughter had taken private oboe lessons for 6 years so we've done the oboe recitals quite a few times.
Those pictures look like some pretty fancy recitals!
What fancy dresses for the recitals. You must have felt like a princess in your beautiful dress! I have done the dance recital thing over the years with Ashton, watched her cheer at games for 6 years, watched her brothers at all their sports events and how I wished I could do it all over again! And yes, every dance Ashton was in was usually the last one or next to last one!!
WHY Betsy Banks weren't you a cutie?! I too played the piano in recitals. My Grandma taught me to play at age 5yrs and I took lessons from her through 5th grade. Then I took from the nuns at the local convent. Did that through 11th grade, so they were always entering me in competitions with the Natl. Guild of Student Musicians. I would be a nervous wreck with each test. Now I only play for fun for myself. Much less stress!!
Blessings friend, Cassie (using my dogs blog)
Great photos and memories! Music recitals, dance recitals ... YeeHaw!
What a great post.I have absolutely no music ability whatsoever.But I sure wish I did.I think it skipped a generation in my family.
Didn't girls (and boys) dress so gorgeous back then. Things were an event. It was an important thing they were doing. I'm sure they were treasured by almost all the parents.
Betsy, I always wanted to learn how to play the piano. Still do at times, but unfortunately I don't have a piano.
I've sat through a couple recitals, and loved them. My grandma always encouraged me to play the piano, but my mum didn't have room in the home for a piano.
What wonderful photos !
Oh my gosh! Does that ever bring back memories!!! I loved playing the piano and I loved going to and playing in recitals!! I really enjoyed hearing all the other children play. My kids were also in the band at high school and I enjoyed the concerts tremendously.
Thanks for bringing back those special memories.
Hugs
I took piano lessons for 9 years - not quite as long as you did!
I hated recitals because I was/ still am/ shy and terrified to be in the spotlight.
My kids were all in band, so we went to the band recitals - probably almost as long as the usual piano extravaganza...
Great memories! I sat through 2 receitals for my daughter, before she decided she didn't like piano. I suppose I sat through my sister's receitals, but don't really remember them.
You're so talented! I love these photos!!
if you play them, ms. betsy, i'll never think of them as tedious and long. i'd like to sit in on one of your playing times.
I took piano for nine years and absolutely loathed and despised piano recitals!
I love the dresses of those dresses. Beautiful!
Betsy: My daughter played for the choir in HS so we went to them.
Phyllis Fugate in your senior picture is my aunt. My father was Randy Lee Fugate which would have been her younger brother.
I would love to know if you anything about the fugates in Big Stone Gap, email me anytime.
Aubrey Lake/Fugate
aubreylake@gmail.com
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