Lifelong gift of music

My earliest musical memories are of my grandma playing Teddy Bears’ Picnic on her little electric keyboard.

As I grew older, she taught me the lyrics and we would sing the song together. She would play it countless times during visits at my request.

Music was a part of daily life for her. I fondly remember her singing along to classic country tunes while preparing lunches for the men working out in the fields.

My other grandma, also a music lover, bought me a small piano as a young child. Apparently, it was my favourite toy.

With two very musical grandmothers, it is hardly surprising I developed a strong interest in music at a young age.

Thankfully, my parents recognized this and enrolled me in piano lessons as a young girl.

My piano teacher seemed thankful to have such an apt pupil — I loved to practice — admittedly everything BUT scales.

I took up the flute through the band program at my elementary school, and by the end of middle school, was lucky enough to be studying both flute and piano at the local conservatory.

I recognized then and still do, the sacrifices of my family to allow me to pursue my passion. The conservatory was a 45-minute drive away. Lessons were every Saturday for two hours.

On top of that, there were music festivals, provincial and Western Canadian finals, Royal Conservatory exams (the thought of which still gives me butterflies), music camps in the United States and auditions.

As I grew older, I found the competitive nature of the music scene to be very intimidating. While a part of me wanted to become a professional classical musician, I had other interests. The three hours a day spent practicing would need to increase significantly if I had that career in mind.

Luckily, music is a lifelong gift that you can carry with you.

I pursued a double major in journalism and music at Carleton University in Ottawa, then earned a master’s degree in music criticism from McMaster University.

Today, I play in a Burlington-based flute duet with one of my closest friends, as well as in a piano and flute trio based at one of the local churches.

Some of my happiest moments are when I’m performing — whether for residents of a local seniors’ home, in a green paradise on a charity garden tour, at a special wedding or at a benefit concert for a food bank.

I am so very thankful my grandparents and parents, and especially my younger brother who patiently sat though so many recitals, were so supportive of what is still one of the best things in my life.

It Bares Repeating: “Teddy Bear's Picnic,” a Singable Picture Book ...

ISBN 0-439-39622-0

“Teddy Bear’s Picnic” has become a favorite at “Sing Books with Emily” gatherings.  This is a song with a great sense of humor and gobs of personality, imagination, and musical range.  I love how it goes from sounding ominous and sneaking into the splendor of Calliope.  It is surprisingly adaptable song.  You will find recordings in styles ranging from Jazz to Carnival created for instruments from cello quartets, voice and piano, to brass bands.  The fun is endless.

“Teddy Bear’s Picnic” was written in 1907 with music by John W. Bratton and words by Jimmy Kennedy.

Red a biography of composer John W. Bratton (1867-1947), here: 13A: Val Rosing, Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray, Kenny Ball and his Orchestra, Little Mo Maccoury, James Campbell and Allegri String Quartet

The rest of the questions require VERY personal answers and I will spare you those!

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It has been great fun to share “ Teddy Bear’s Picnic ” at “Sing Books” gatherings over the last couple of years.  As I’ve been doing my homework for the song in preparation for my new show “ Oh, What a Beautiful Day: Sing Books with Emily, the Cabaret “, I’ve learned all sorts of interesting things about it and old memories have floated to the surface.

I discovered this song only 3 or 4 years ago, but the tune seemed oddly familiar.  A little research revealed that John W. Bratton originally wrote the song as an instrumental titled “Teddy Bear Two-Step.”  Funny enough, when thinking on how the tune is familiar, the song is always sounds like it is being played on pipe organ when it drifts through my head.

I was lucky to work at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis during a couple of summers on break from Indiana University in the late 80′s.  One of my favorite tasks in that job was running the vintage carousel which still crowns the top floor of that wonderful museum !  Those of us assigned to the carousel got to announce the beginning of a ride, take tickets, proclaim the safety instructions, help kids on and off the animals, and press a big red button to start the carousel turning and the splendourous Calliope from the vintage Wurlitzer Organ.  Ah ha!  That was it.  The Wurlitzer in the center of the carousel played “ The Teddy Bear Two Step .”  I must have heard that tune rise hundreds of times from the center of the carousel with thousands of children and carousel animals spinning around me.

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