This boy has rhythm. He came that way. I suspect he may have even been part of the heavenly team that was assigned to set the earth on its axis and start it spinning, never missing a beat in its rotation.
A while back, like his whole lifetime ago, Timothy made me a grandmother. Now he is in eighth grade and his voice is deep and he is full of all sorts of teenage magic!
Last week I rose early and drove to Salt Lake City to see him perform in the percussion section of the South Jordan Youth Symphony at Abravanel Hall. It is a gracious gift that the Utah Symphony Orchestra affords young musicians throughout the Wasatch Front, to play in their lovely facility.
When I pulled up to Abravanel Hall, the place was surrounded by a bumble-bee-like strand of school busses. Young musicians, instruments in hand, streamed out of those busses like little black ants. Later, as I sat inside that sparkling gilded hall, with its crystal chandeliers and polished wood walls, seated beside Timo's parents, I thought of what a great thing it was for these kids, thousands of them, to not only be able to perform in such an acoustically and aesthetically lovely setting, but to be able to actually hear other youth orchestras do their thing. When you're playing your instrument in a big band, it is nearly impossible to hear the whole effect of the group. The seats of Abravanel Hall were filled with other young students from other symphonies, waiting their turn to play, and in the process listening to other groups. It really is a grand opportunity, rare and grand, and I applaud the Utah Symphony and Abravenel Hall for hosting them.
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| Timothy and his parents |
Timo is a percussionist in his orchestra. And he's really great at it. He has impeccable rhythm, may even have perfect pitch, and is able to translate written music beautifully. But to me his most remarkable musical gift lies in the pieces he creates. He's a really great performer. He's an even greater composer.
I wish I could show in this format of written words the magic of his music. He was blessed to be born in the digital age, where he can, with the touch of a finger, create french horns playing against fluid violins against a perfectly tuned timpani. Besides writing serious music, he hits my giggle button with his filmed escapades on his YouTube channel, Random Gathering of Goats, which has a newly emerging series of episodes called The Extremely Obvious Spy.
Last month we attended a regional
Last week, after I attended his Symphony Hall performance, I drove to Herriman to watch Timo's little brother and sister while his mom chaperoned the rest of the day in SLC. I noticed his two large Reflections medals hanging on the drawer pulls of his bedroom dresser. Right there next to his Star Wars posters and picture of Phinneas and Ferb. In a flash I imagined years down the road, taking my old bones to some stage in some town on this spinning earth to see Mo Petersen perform, or to see him conduct, or to watch a movie with a Mo Petersen score. (I picked the name Mo Petersen. I think it sounds sort of iconic. Don't hold him to it.) But watch, you just watch! One day you too will hear something divine, and you may or may not ask yourself who created such beauty. Attached to it will be a name: some human being who corralled musical notes that came from musical instruments and choreographed them together in a pleasing way. And at some point, in some place, the name attached to it will be Timothy Petersen.
Mark my words.
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| Timothy, before he was famous, with his oldest and truest fan, Gram. |
Thanks for being one of his greatest fans and supporters, Mom! It takes a village. And thanks for buying him his first set of drumsticks from the five hour store.
ReplyDeleteRemember when he was five-ish and he would click his tongue and hum at the same time? We’d ask him what he was doing and he’d say, ‘I’m just playing the ‘band in my head, Mom.’ :) It must feel good for him to get that ‘band’ out into the world.