Scale Olympics

Lukas spent the past several months learning new piano skills so that he could compete in Scale Olympics this weekend at Otterbein College (which we just discovered is becoming a university). I am certain that his keyboard skills are going to be much improved now that he's spent so much time learning essential skills such as transposition and harmonizing from a lead sheet as well as many technical skills like playing scales, arpeggios, chords, and more. It was a lot of work, but Lukas worked hard at mastering these skills.

Yesterday, we got to Otterbein around 10:15 for Lukas' 10:30 competition time. His first task was to take a music theory test followed by going from room to room to compete in each of the event categories. We were left waiting in the auditorium while he did this as the competition actually takes place in the practice rooms of the Otterbein music department (if you're not a musician, picture a large closet big enough for a piano and bench and little else).

Lukas was gone for just under two hours, waltzed into the auditorium right past us and went straight to the little station they had set up at the end of the stage where his score was tallied and he received his awards. Lukas earned 6 blue ribbons and 2 red ribbons, and his score was high enough to receive an overall yellow rosette ribbon(Students could receive blue, yellow or white). He was pleased with his performance and with his success, and we were proud of him. He did almost all of this on his own. He loves playing piano and rarely needs a reminder to practice. He definitely seems to have found his niche.

Here are a couple of photos that we took of Lukas at the event.

Waiting to take the Music Theory test and get started with the competition

He was very proud and tried to wear his yellow rosette for part of the afternoon.