Video: My daughter singing Ave Maria

[JDSmith]

Here is my 16 year old singing at the high school talent show. I feel like this is her best performance to date, which I suppose is to be expected because she's had 2 full years of singing lessons now.

 

[zrinkill]

Beautiful song, voice, and girl.

You should be very proud.

 

[Longboysfan]

And with no cue cards... or music sheets.

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

She's talented.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Wow, great job! You've got a talented girl. I'd bet you're proud.

 

[pjtoadie]

Very nice! I come from a very musical family so I can see talent and she's got a real pretty voice! Ave Marie is not an easy song to sing either!

 

[JoeKing]

That's real talent. Much respect.

 

[mattjames2010]

That's not easy to sing either. I'm really impressed, some people just have natural gifts that blow me away. Very good video.

 

[roughneck266]

Beautiful girl and beautiful voice! I enjoyed it very much.

 

[JDSmith]

Thanks all, it's been a good year for her singing. She made both All-Shore and All-State chorus and came in second in the talent show. So she's been getting some recognition for her singing in recent months. She's starting to come into her own.

And if Jerry or Stephen read the forum, she's available to do the Star Spangled Banner at Cowboys games. Just say the word and send the plane ticket(s).

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

"She's simply.... Awesome!"

Proud parents ;-)

 

[FloridaRob]

Awesome performance. She has the confidence and stage presence of singers 20 years her senior. Great job

 

[Seven]

What everyone else said before me............She's beautiful, musically and physically.

I'm gonna post one of my daughter...............never mind. We've all seen people sleep.

 

[JDSmith]

I have to say that I'm really proud of my daughter, but not for the usual reasons. I'm not proud of her singing ability or her voice, there is nothing to be proud of in that regard - it would be like being proud that your child is tall. She opens her mouth and those sounds come out, it's freaky and weird, but in a good way.

What I'm proud of is her decision to do yet another operatic song. Last year she did an amazing job singing 'The Last Rose of Summer' at the talent show, and IMO she was the best of the 25 acts that night (although there were some that I wouldn't argue too strenuously against). They gave out 8 prizes that night, and my daughter didn't get anything. And we are pretty sure it's because she's doing songs that people don't know, or that people have only heard professionals sing. If you decide to do a Beyonce song most people in the audience probably know it, have tried to sing along to it, and have heard other people do likewise. So it's easy to appreciate when it's done well. If you perform an opera song or something that people only see performed by professionals, it's tougher for people to appreciate exactly how hard it is IMO. Now last year I saw her face when the last prize was given out and her name wasn't called, it only flashed, but my daughter was really disappointed. She did a terrific job and coming away empty handed wasn't easy.

Now fast forward to this year, as she was deciding on a song. She had chosen a wretched operatic piece (she switched to Ave Maria last minute because she never learned the other well enough). My wife asked her flat out,"Do you want to win the talent show?" She explained that it's tough winning with a song nobody has ever heard, or tried to sing along with. It's tough to win with something that slow. You just don't win high school talent shows with songs written in 1800. So she asked Xana if she wanted to win, because she wasn't going to win with one of those songs. Xana said she didn't want to win if it meant she couldn't sing her songs. She decided that even if she wasn't going to win with it, she was going to go up there and sing what she loves. That's what made me proud, she decided for herself and didn't change what she was doing to appease the masses.

It brought to mind my favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote (I might be off by a word or two, but it's close): It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion, it is easy in solitude to live after your own. But the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

That's my daughter, she thinks for herself. Even in the crowd she maintains the independence of solitude, and that makes me proud.

 

[Leadbelly]

I have to say that I'm really proud of my daughter, but not for the usual reasons. I'm not proud of her singing ability or her voice, there is nothing to be proud of in that regard - it would be like being proud that your child is tall. She opens her mouth and those sounds come out, it's freaky and weird, but in a good way.

What I'm proud of is her decision to do yet another operatic song. Last year she did an amazing job singing 'The Last Rose of Summer' at the talent show, and IMO she was the best of the 25 acts that night (although there were some that I wouldn't argue too strenuously against). They gave out 8 prizes that night, and my daughter didn't get anything. And we are pretty sure it's because she's doing songs that people don't know, or that people have only heard professionals sing. If you decide to do a Beyonce song most people in the audience probably know it, have tried to sing along to it, and have heard other people do likewise. So it's easy to appreciate when it's done well. If you perform an opera song or something that people only see performed by professionals, it's tougher for people to appreciate exactly how hard it is IMO. Now last year I saw her face when the last prize was given out and her name wasn't called, it only flashed, but my daughter was really disappointed. She did a terrific job and coming away empty handed wasn't easy.

Now fast forward to this year, as she was deciding on a song. She had chosen a wretched operatic piece (she switched to Ave Maria last minute because she never learned the other well enough). My wife asked her flat out,"Do you want to win the talent show?" She explained that it's tough winning with a song nobody has ever heard, or tried to sing along with. It's tough to win with something that slow. You just don't win high school talent shows with songs written in 1800. So she asked Xana if she wanted to win, because she wasn't going to win with one of those songs. Xana said she didn't want to win if it meant she couldn't sing her songs. She decided that even if she wasn't going to win with it, she was going to go up there and sing what she loves. That's what made me proud, she decided for herself and didn't change what she was doing to appease the masses.

It brought to mind my favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote (I might be off by a word or two, but it's close): It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion, it is easy in solitude to live after your own. But the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

That's my daughter, she thinks for herself. Even in the crowd she maintains the independence of solitude, and that makes me proud.

That's awesome. I remember a thread you posted a year (maybe two) ago looking for song ideas that were maybe more contemporary or outside a traditional catalog, but it's impressive that she knew/knows what she wants at such a young age. That's as rare a talent as her singing. It's been great seeing her talent develop.

And I think my high school's talent show (long ago) involved a kid snorting a linguini noodle up his nostril and through his mouth, where the noodle was hanging out of both orafices. Or maybe that was for class president. Your kid's recital sounds light years better.

 

[JDSmith]

Just found out today that in addition to All-Shore and All-State chorus this year she's been selected to the All Eastern Honors Choir based on her scores at the All-State auditions. At least I think she was, I'm not totally positive that there isn't an audition, but it doesn't look like one is necessary. It is apparently a collection of students from Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Europe, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont (pulled that off of some web page). Personally I never heard of it until Xana got the email today through her music director. Sounds cool though.

 

[muck4doo]

Here is my 16 year old singing at the high school talent show. I feel like this is her best performance to date, which I suppose is to be expected because she's had 2 full years of singing lessons now.

That was simply beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

 

[JDSmith]

What everyone else said before me............She's beautiful, musically and physically.

I'm gonna post one of my daughter...............never mind. We've all seen people sleep.

Both of my daughters are Olympic caliber sleepers. Half of the time when I get home from work they are both taking 'naps' - which last for hours. Of course they make up for it by staying up until Midnight. My younger daughter Sophia is just stirring now because I went and gave her a verbal nudge, she's been down for 2 hours or so.

 

[jobberone]

Here is my 16 year old singing at the high school talent show. I feel like this is her best performance to date, which I suppose is to be expected because she's had 2 full years of singing lessons now.

Very nice bel canto and enunciation. We will see more coloratura as she matures. Ask her for another in a few months please. Thx.

 

[Seven]

Both of my daughters are Olympic caliber sleepers. Half of the time when I get home from work they are both taking 'naps' - which last for hours. Of course they make up for it by staying up until Midnight. My younger daughter Sophia is just stirring now because I went and gave her a verbal nudge, she's been down for 2 hours or so.

10,000 likes.....rack 'em up mods.