A Tree of Memories #4

Violin ornaments

My parents bought me this ornament sometime in Jr. High or High School. It’s a Hallmark ornament. This is the front:

And, this is the back:

How cute is that? A little mouse playing the violin!!! (Richard is terrified of mice. Just thought I would throw that out there. hehehe)

Richard was given this ornament from one of his best friends, Trent Gundersen, in Jr. High.

No surprises here. We are such music nerds and I LOVE it!!!

Background Alert! (You may find this next part extremely long, boring, and exhausting to read.)

Richard had to withstand all kinds of “horrible” music (as he puts it) growing up with 13 older siblings. But, his Father always listened to and encouraged classical music. Richard was so obedient. One of the first pieces he fell in love with as a young boy was a piano piece called Rondo Alla Turca, by Mozart. Funny, I actually learned and memorized this piece for festival in high school! We were obviously meant to be, Richard and I. ;) He listed several others that he fell in love with at a young age including: Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Richard Wagner’s Overture to Tannhäuser, and the Mozart Violin Sonatas. Just to name a few.

I, on the other hand, listened to all the same popular stuff that everyone else listened to. A little bit of country, a little bit of soft rock, and a little bit of Broadway. I wasn’t really exposed to much classical music growing up. In high school, as I became more serious about violin, I did order a CD of Itzhak Perlman. (Only the coolest violinist ALIVE! I can’t believe you didn’t know!) I fell in love with the music on this CD. It contained the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto that Richard performed last spring with the Rexburg Tabernacle Orchestra, the Brahms Violin Concerto which Richard is currently working on, and the Bruch Violin Concerto which I performed in college with the orchestra (3rd movement). Phew! That was a mouthful! I encourage all of you to get on iTunes and purchase these right away!

When Richard and I were married, I discovered a whole new world of music, and the rest is history! Not only do we get to listen to it together, we get to play it together. Who knew back in Jr. High that these two violin ornaments would someday be joined on the same tree!?! Awe shucks!