Where He Belongs

As mothers, we know our children better than anyone.

And I knew, long before he did, that Tucker would love music and theater. But he wouldn't believe me.
When he was very young, Tucker loved to sing, but he had difficulty hearing pitch. He could sing a song alone, but if there was music playing, he could never follow along. When he was ten years old, I took him to audition for the Phoenix Boys' Choir. He had the highest clearest voice, and I knew that if he could be taught to hear pitch, he could be great. When we got to the audition, he refused to even open his mouth. I was humiliated and furious. Why wouldn't he do this thing that I KNEW he would love? But most kids can't be pushed. And he can't even be pushed to put on his shoes, let alone pushed to do something he really doesn't want to do.

In Beauty and the Beast

After this debacle, I made a few calls--Did anyone know of a good voice teacher?  In November of 2002, we met Allyson Van Patten.  He was ten-and-a-half and reluctant to accept direction from her(that's putting it nicely).  He would pace around the table, mumble under his breath, even flat-out refuse to sing.  Once I even resorted to videotaping him in the kitchen to prove to Allyson that he would sing and could sing very loudly--a phrase from Shrek, if I remember correctly.

As Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie

Six months later, it was time for his first voice recital. And she hadn't made much progress with him. I know she was ready to give up--she's often told me he is the hardest student she's ever had.  But I wasn't ready to surrender.  I knew he could do this, and I knew he needed to learn to sing.
 


The turning point came when he was assigned "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music.  He complained and complained about that girly song, so we composed our own lyrics--Tucker style.  Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Algebra, video games.  He was proud of it, but he was a little afraid of what Allyson would think.  Their relationship up to this point hadn't been that chummy.  But when he sang that song, she laughed her magical laugh and finally the ice was broken.  Like Helen Keller, he was finally ready to learn.  And maybe even listen occasionally.

Since that time, he's been in numerous school choirs and played parts in High School Musical, Aida, Once on This Island, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He's sung duets, quartets and solos. I've never deluded myself into thinking that he was the best.  But he is good.  Really good.  About the best he could be.

Like the song from Wicked, sometimes people come into our lives for reasons.  Reasons we may never fully understand.  But I know why Allyson was sent to us. She had the ability to teach a tone-deaf boy how to find the music inside him.  She had the patience and the humor to accept him for what he was.  She teased him and and counseled him and occasionally chastised him.

Above all, she's loved him.  And now he's where he belongs.

Saturday night was Tuck's final voice recital.  He sang, "This Is the Moment," from Jekyll and Hyde.  And as I played for him for what will most likely be the last time, I reflected on the words:

Now the time has come to prove to them I made it on my own.

This is the moment, the sweetest moment of them all!

I can't believe this stage of his life is over and a new one is about to begin.  You can never express to a teacher your gratitude when you know they've changed your child's life.

Thanks, Allyson. It was truly the sweetest moment of them all.   You will always hold a special place in my heart.

You can read Allyson's blog here.