Music by Afton Rhodes-Lehman (b. 2002)
Afton has been growing up
in a house where there is lots of singing by everybody, and improvising her own ballads about everything
through much of her 2nd year. She also hears Daddy play the harpsichord almost every day, and likes to
play it herself.
Her harpsichord rhythm is accurate and confident on songs she knows, although she does not worry about correct notes yet. Her singing pitch is very good, however, and she recognizes melodies wherever she has heard them,
even if the words are different.
In September 2005 (age: 34 months) she composed the following, which she has performed several times with her own harpsichord accompaniment: Creeping up to a BEAR!Then she performs it about six or seven times at a session, with different animals substituted into it, and with various interpolations of explanation as she goes along. The explanations also have her harpsichord accompaniment in whatever rhythms she is singing. More to come, later. That is simply the first one written down. At age 4 she has been learning to read and write. June 2007 (age: 4 years, 7 months) here is a handwritten note by Afton:
"Mom, Afton. I would like [you] to see I turned on the computer."
Harpsichord recording of this lullaby in the tuning from Bach's household -- it's set up on our main harpsichord
almost all the time, for our home music-making and Afton's lessons...
Afton and Dad having ice cream, September 2005.
Afton with Cormac and Mom, March 2007.
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Afton's Lullaby
