When our oldest daughter was 3-years-old, she began asking to play the violin. To this day, I don’t know why this instrument captivated her so. No one on either side of her family played stringed instruments, other than my amateur attempts at the piano and my father’s ukulele. Eventually, at age 6, we gave in to her pleadings to play the violin. We bought a tiny violin and secured a Suzuki-trained instructor and began the daily practicing. I’m not going to lie to you - it was painful for all of us! The violin is one of the most difficult instruments to master. If your fingers are off, even a millimeter, the sound you generate is completely off as well. But Mary Grace adored it and wanted to practice all the time!
Much to my dismay, her three younger siblings, all wanting to be just like their big sister, lobbied to play the violin as well. Before I knew it, we had a music room full of tiny violins of assorted sizes, all of them squeaking and squawking as the children moved through the Suzuki Violin books. At a music camp one summer, the middle two children, Reagan and Rebecca, saw the kids who played cello and their interest was piqued. I had to admit, the warm sounds produced by the cellos were soothing, even those made by the youngest of students, but I still believe that another reason they were drawn towards changing was that the cellists got to sit down on special stools while playing, as opposed to the long periods of time on their feet while playing the violin!
It seemed like overnight we went from four tiny violinists to a string quartet, complete with two violins and two cellos. Over time, as they all grew in musicianship, they began to play music together, forming The Brown Family String Quartet. Our violin and cello teachers, sisters April Pettus and Marla Majett, began arranging music for the quartet to play together that accentuated each of the kids’ musical strengths, including Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts” and the old spiritual “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” When it came time to play some Christmas music, I knew exactly what I wanted the Brown Family String Quartet to learn to play. Our favorite cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, had recently released an album entitled, Songs of Joy and Peace and there was a particular recording that I kept playing over and over again. I couldn’t get enough of
the jaunty Irish folk songs known as “A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel” and in 2009 commissioned the children’s violin teacher, April Pettus, to create an arrangement for the Brown Family String Quartet. Our oldest and youngest, Mary Grace and Andrew, are the violinists you hear and the middles, Reagan and Rebecca, are on cello. And yes, that is me playing the tambourine! Crazy, I know!
Because our theme for this year’s Advent devotional focuses on family and God’s fulfillment of promise through family, I thought it fitting to open each day’s devotion with my children’s gift of music, recorded over 15 years ago. I can picture their sweet little fingers holding their bows and plucking those strings as if it were yesterday. Consider it an added bonus of joy as we begin each reading during Advent. I pray it brings a smile to your face as it always does mine.
Blessings,
Gay B Brown
