Today, when I went out to get my morning paper (even though it was noon), I saw a piece of paper blowing across the yard. I picked it up and was about to toss it in the trash can, when I glanced at the writing--
You are cordially invited to the Dickson's Family home for Christmas Cheer, food drinks, and a special holiday performance by the Dickson String Quartet.
When? Tonight at 7 p.m.
I was sure glad I picked up that piece of paper, because in the Dickson house, (our new neighbors), filled with a family of 12, the children all have talent oozing out of their pores, and it spilled out on us tonight!
This family moved into the house in November. The house is huge, it has 6 bedrooms, at least 3 baths, and several very large family rooms. I guess each of the 10 kids don't have their own rooms, but there are several sets of twins, so I guess they can share space. Mystery surrounded their move, because following the regular moving van came a piano moving truck, and even though I didn't see what they moved in, I knew it must be a very special instrument to get that kind of treatment. It is a huge concert grand piano, which takes up almost the entire width of the room.
Word filtered through the neighborhood, and one day was confirmed by Mrs. Dickson, that their kids are all musicians, and there are 4 of them who are attending UMSL on music scholarships, this is the Dickson String Quartet. Tonight they performed a short Christmas concert for the neighbors right in their own living room.
And, it was awesome! They are such accomplished musicians. They are in training with the Ariana String Quartet, that is why they moved to St. Louis from Washington state. They did a medley of Nutcracker music and then a Christmas Carol medley, and ended with a rendition of the very famous "Our Father" which was transcribed just for them. I loved every minute of it. Most of the neighbors attended, and even the little kids enjoyed it. They did an impromptu Christmas Carol sing-along, improvizing their parts as they played. Whoa--that is talent when you can make it up on the spot!
My dream when I heard that they all played strings was to one day hear them play. This was so special of their family to share their childrens' talents with the neighbors. Hopefully, this will become a tradition for them for as long as they stay in St. Louis, which we hope will be for a long time to come.
Merry Christmas, Dicksons! And thanks for a very special evening of fellowship and music!
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