It occurs to me that such an unusual day in the calendar ought to be acknowledged with some kind of special name. Because on this day, it’s possible for all those aspiring hot-shot musicians out there – the whiz-kids who practice 24 hours a day – to practice for 25 hours.
Personally, I like “Tiger Mother’s Day.” I interviewed Amy Chua, the original Tiger Mom, a few months ago for the Houston Chronicle – and I was left with the impression that if anyone deserves to be honoured on a day dedicated to excessive practicing, it’s her. (You’ll find my story here, if you missed it.)
Also on this subject, Toronto publicist/pianist Liz Parker, and Joseph Johnson, principal cellist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, recently spoke with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation announcer Mary Ito about the demands of a childhood spent practising. Here’s the audio clip.
© Colin Eatock 2011