Upcoming performances...practice, practice, practice

Hi y'all,
Deirdre here.  I  keep on wanting to post but life has been so full recently that I don't have time to even step out of it and talk about it.  =) 

My family has been rehearsing hours a day for a big show that we have tomorrow at a 5000 seat theater in Redlands, CA!  On top of that Max and I have been rehearsing for a show we are doing with our band Hidden Fifth in Maine.  The practices have been long but I am so excited because I have not played this much music in over 10 years (since my family recorded their last album in 2006)! It is so amazing to be playing so much!  Over the last few weeks I have improved so much just by playing and putting the hours in! This experience has reminded me of the important lesson that in order to get good (or stay good!) at something, you have to put in the hours, and do it a LOT! 

Last night, we played for a contra dance and usually my hands are really sore by the time the second half comes around but this time I was not sore at all!  Loving it!

I am so excited to be playing so much again and am determined to keep it up! I often get frustrated at our inability to carve out time from our busy life to find time for music, but shows force you make the time, and Max and I are determined to keep it up.  Max has even been brushing up his dancing for the shows.  I want my fiddle and dance students to hear this, so they are encouraged to put the hours in and get the amazing experience of playing that much better!!  :)  Keep up the good work kids!

The video above is a shot from one of our many band practices at home getting ready for the show!  My three young cousins are joining us on fiddle, cello and mandolin, Max is playing flute, and our good friend Margaret is playing guitar.  We have had multiple 8-hour says of virtually non-stop practice like this!  It feels so good to practice this much!

More home practicing...  Our friend David joins us on the pipes!

My whole family playing for a contra dance in Santa Barbara.  We almost never get all 5 of my brothers and sisters together for a Contra dance, but last night we did!  It may be the last time in a while too!