BED TIME STORIES

Dedication:

This album is specially dedicated to all my nieces and nephews:

Alex, Emily, Amy, Isabelle and C.J.

Star Light, Star Bright,

First Star You See Tonight,

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might,

Make All Your Dreams

 Come True Tonight.......

~ A picture of Emily and her "kit-cat" ~

Track 7 : Emily's Theme
~ a.k.a. The Piggy Song ~

Emily's been taking piano lessons for slightly over a year.  This past summer, she mentioned that she was no longer interested in taking lessons as she had decided that a "violin" was what she really wanted to play.   When asked why she chose the violin , 

"Because ......you don't have to practice that much. And even if you do, you can practice in the car on the way to lesson!!!".  She stated.

As if she was worrying about my feelings being hurt, she went on to further explain that, deep down, she truly loves playing piano, she just doesn't like to play the scales (who does?), or do her music theory assignments.   And, she definitely hates the practicing part!!.  

That's when I realized that it's time to incorporate more FUN into our sessions.  So, during our next lesson, I asked her to give "composing" a try.   Her first reaction to my request was "WHO?? ME?? COMPOSE??".  

But with a few words of encouragement, she sat down and put her little fingers on the ivories.  And a few moments later, she came up with a short little melody.

Having to learn only a few key positions at this point, she naturally 'composed' something in the key of C.  But the part that amazed me was the fact that she was able to repeatedly come up with the same melody even days later.   So this was it, a song she wrote, and she named it "The Piggy Song", as her and I were both born in the year of the Pig (according to the Chinese calendar).  

So when this recording project came along, I just could not resist from putting something together that's based on this melody of hers.  Emily particularly likes the fact that a violin part has been added to her song.  She has since learned 4 more new scales and is doing quite well on the piano.   Not to mention that she has not said anything about abandoning piano for violin ever since.  shhhhh.......:)

Click here to download a sample clip of
		"Emily's Theme"

Track 9 : Port Douglas
~ for Rob and Jodie Rueckert ~

Whether walking on the shore, 

or sailing on the sea, 

together forever we will be......

March 25th, 2001, my 30th Birthday... after an 8 hour over night flight from Singapore, the 5 of us (Malcolm, Stephanie, Chuck, Rob and Jodie)  finally landed on Carines International Airport, Queensland Australia.  No more worries about rehearsals, ticket sales and fund raising activities.  This was when vacation truly began for us, even though it's been more than 10 days since we left Minneapolis. (The East Meet West Concert was held in Kuching Malaysia on March 22nd, 01)

Port Douglas, once a fishing village, is the nearest township to the Great Barrier Reef, and it's about an hour drive north from Cairnes.  Sharing the same tropical latitude as Tahiti,  the town has a distinctive "laid back" low rise tropical old world charm.  

Our hotel (Tropical Reef) was within walking distance to the beach, and a 2-minute drive to town.  We spent our week exploring the town itself ,  visiting the zoo, a day trip out to reef, and another trip to the out back.  

Granite Gorge with Pete.

We met some interesting people and ate some interesting food, we even tasted termites (Chuck and I did).  We petted the koalas, the kangaroos, an alligator and a wombat.  

After returning from the boat trip to the Great Barrier Reef, we decided to stay in and cook dinner back in the hotel.  Rob and Jodie went out for a walk on the beach after dinner, and when they returned, Jodie had a big smile on her face, tears in her eyes, and a sparkly brand new  diamond ring on her finger.  

Most of us have had an inclination one way or the other that Rob would be proposing to her,  but no one really knew when or where exactly that would take place.   I was just relieved that it finally happened as the ring had been in my possession since the beginning of the trip, yet I had to make sure I said nothing because Rob wanted it to be a surprise for Jodie.   

So, the rest is history and the couple live happily ever after........ Oh wait, forgot to mention that we went back to the beach the day after the proposal, just so that we could take a picture of Rob on his knee begging
Jodie to spend the rest of her life with him....  :) The Rueckerts Wedding was on September, 22nd, 2001.   It's amazing how they managed to sell a house, buy a new house, plan the entire wedding during those 6 months period.  Although now come to think of it, Jodie has always been good at spending her time efficiently, as I remember her working on her wedding guest list while we were STILL in Australia at the Brisbane International Airport ......... Nope, she did not let one second go to waste.....  :)
"Port Douglas" was written in August, 2001,  and was played by Chuck and myself during the wedding ceremony as the couple lit the unity candle.   The trumpet and French horn parts were later added for this recording , and were played by Rob and Jodie
Click here to download a sample clip of
			"Port Douglas"