Tag Archive for Gavin Preller

Photo

JP w: kids

Quick snap from our recent visit to Mass Moca in North Adams, MA. It’s always good to get to a museum just to let it fill you up.

This here is Maggie, 14, proudly wearing her new “Kale” sweatshirt. To the right, that’s Gavin, 15, who basically does not approve of photographs. I’m nearly six feet tall, but Gavin is quickly closing the gap.

My oldest son, Nicholas, is not in this photo because he’s a senior in college at Geneseo, NY.

Snaps: Two Baseball Shots of Gavin, in Cooperstown’s “Field of Dreams” Park

This summer Gavin had the opportunity to play at Cooperstown’s “Field of Dreams” park. His team was one of 104 teams from all over the country to participate in the weekly tournament. The boys stayed in barracks, played hard, and had a great time.

Here’s two shots. Amazing to me that he’s in 8th grade already. High school next year. With my oldest already in college, I know where this is headed. Sigh.

Gavin & Piano & iPad: Teaching Himself the Main Theme from “The Simpsons”

A couple of weeks back I heard Gavin at the piano, teaching himself the main theme to “The Simpsons.” When I saw how he was doing it — through Youtube, and with our iPad propped against the piano — I documented it with a few snaps.

Some world we live in, ain’t it?

Boys Meets Youtube, Answers Back, Naturally

I’ve talked about my son Gavin’s interest in music before. Recently turned eleven, he’s played piano since age four, and then picked up guitar about three years ago. An extremely self-motivated kid, he often goes to Youtube for guitar lessons. He’ll pick out a song, watch the video, then go off and play it.

Interestingly — to me, at least — he wants to respond in kind. Obviously, Gavin lives in a different world than I did as a kid. A couple of days ago he announced that he made some videos and put them on Youtube. “You did what?” we asked.

(Why do I suspect, as parents, we’re all going to be asking that question a lot. “You did . . . WHAT??!!)

I don’t know how to make a video, and I don’t know how to get it on Youtube. But for Gavin, it’s entirely natural for him to figure that out.

Anyway, here’s two of his recent efforts.

This one he made yesterday, while I was upstairs reading When You Reach Me with Maggie: “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix . . .

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

And over the weekend, on piano, he knocked out a crazy tune by Alan Hovhaness, “Macedonian Mountain Dance.” This song he heard another boy play at piano camp over the summer, and returned home determined to learn it. And did, completely on his own . . .

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

We just sit back in amazement, frankly. Not that he’s perfect, or that these are refined versions, but that he’s out there . . . doing . . . communicating in this modern world.