My real name is Carol, and was nicknamed "Caroline" or "Sweet Caroline" many years ago. Ever since the day I was born, my life has been filled with beautiful music---music of all kinds. My Mother had a beautiful soprano voice and played the piano too. She sang in church, gave recitals, and directed church choirs. Along the way, Mom's voice teacher, a wild Russian man named Nicolas Vasiliev, decided my voice was good enough to train with the intention of following in Mom's footsteps and on to the stage.

I studied classical paino for 8 years and even threw in a few years' modern dance lessons and recitals for good measure.

Here I have tried to tell you about my young years, set to music---all the types of music that have been a part of my life through the years. Many times one piece of music has affected my life, and has even changed its course a couple of times, always for the best.

You are listening to "Edelweiss", the Austrian national song, but made more popular in "The Sound of Music", so appropriate for this page. As you browse down the page, each piece of music on this page has it's own control, so you can browse through to choose what you would like to hear, or just go right down the line through my life and hear them all. Be sure to turn off "Edelweiss" before playing other music

ENJOY!

At age 3, I was already plinking on my toy piano given to me by my favorite Uncle Wes (he spoiled me rotten!). We won't play those "plinkings" today! (I'm still looking for this photo.)

On Easter Sunday at age 5, there I stood in front of the church choir, all decked out in my pretty yellow coat and hat singing Brahm's Lullaby as a solo; and the choir didn't even have to help me!

I began serious piano lessons when I was 7. Since Mom and Dad would only tolerate my learning classical music, I soon learned all about Beethoven and his "Moonlight Sonata". Later, I would play it every time I got a little "blue".

Of course I had to learn to play "Fur Elise" like every other piano student in the world!

And what classical piano student didn't have to play every "Two-Part Invention" that Bach ever wrote?! This is #13. I always felt like I was running around in circles every time I had to play one!

And naturally every piano teacher has to throw in some Mozart---this one in C Major. Back then, I always thought Mozart was as bad as Bach!

For a change of pace, I would sometimes lapse into "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring"

Finally my teacher let me really break away, all the way to "Rhapsody in Blue".

After many recitals and winning a top prize in a National Music Federation contest, the real highlight of my piano "career" was when I was 14. I played a duet with my piano teacher, Mrs. Bartlett, as the last feature of her annual recital---Grieg's Concerto in A Minor.

While I was growing up, my Mom continued her singing lessons and recitals. But when she practised at home, I could hear her sing Musetta's Aria "Quando M'en Vo", from La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini, blocks away at my girlfiend's house!! (Now, I would give the world to hear her sing again---it was really beuatiful!)

My Mother took me to see "Carmen" performed by the Metropolitan Opera Company when they visited the University of Arizona. It was awesome, and the only live opera I've ever seen. I would love to have the opportunity to see more.

Now during all this piano-playing, we all decided I should take dancing lessons, so ended up in Mrs. Franklin's Class of Modern Dance. The only recital I was in, we were costumed in orange and yellow organdy and gauze flitting around the stage to the tune of "Humoresque".

The highlight of my singing "career" was at 14 when my Father arranged to make a home recording of my Mother and me. On one side she sang O Holy Night, and on the other side I sang "Gesu Bambino".

The following year, my Father passed away and shortly thereafter, I began to notice---boys! So an "old" 18-year-old neighbor girl took it upon herself to teach me how to ballroom dance, to the tune of "Near You".

Well, I grew up (but that's a matter of opinion) and my dancing got better, and wilder! "Yakety Sax" filled the bill!

And soon a boyfriend nicknamed me "Sweet Caroline" after Neil Diamond's famous recording. Well, after all, I really WAS sweet!

Now all that was many years ago. I haven't played the piano at all nor have I sung any solos for a long time. Perhaps I may be of the old saying, "What you don't use, you lose." So I believe the "Lost Chord" fits this situation quite well.