NOTEWORTHY CREATIVITY

Colin Darge is a talented individual that has attended Stage Door Theatre Program for almost 2 years. He was interested in theatre and performing.  However his real passion is music. He is a gifted pianist, with an acute ear for music. He recently traveled to Nashville Tennessee to attend a Music Camp for persons with William’s Syndrome. (See Williams Syndrome Article – A Brilliant Song in this newsletter)

Q: When did you go to Nashville Colin?
Colin: This past June. I was there for 4 days. But I was also there last year.

Q: How many people were there?
Colin: I think around 16 people.

Q: What did you do there?
Colin: I did some Testing?

Q: some Testing?
Colin: Yes, I went through the MRI machine, which took a couple hours.

Q: Was that the only testing you did?
Colin: No, they let me test this thing that they put on my head, which tested the electrical signals in my head.

Q: Did it hurt?
Colin: No. It was like a bunch of wires and they had these spongy things that were all over my head like a cap. I had to press buttons and look at a screen. They show pictures of different facial expressions, and just other random pictures.

Q: What happened then?
Colin: They gave me a picture of my brain. Yaw, it was interesting.

Q: But the testing was not the only reason you were there, right?
Colin: No, I got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry House .

Q: Wow… that must have been cool.
Colin: It was. There were so many people in the audience. But I wasn’t scared. It was a BIG experience.

Q: What did you perform?
Colin: “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life”

Q: Was that a song your learned while you were there?
Colin: Yes, we learned it as a group.

Q: How many days of practice?
Colin: Each day we would practice the song. It took a while but we got it. One of the Mothers helped us. Originally the song was in the key of C, but we had to change it to E. I was the only one playing piano, but there was a Bass player and a Drummer .We also got to play along side of the House Band from the Grand Ole Opry. they were playing too.

Q: What else did you get to do in Nashville?
Colin: We got to visit the first place the Grand Ole Opry started, but couldn’t go in because there was a wedding going on. We also stopped at some restaurants.

Q: Did you meet anyone thee?
Colin: I got to meet Joe Nichols, who is a singer.

Q: What do you take away from the experience?
Colin: The friends, I will always take them with me. I got meet some friends from last year. It was nice to see them. Nashville is a very nice city, but in June it is very hot. I would like to go back to the Camp again.

Editors Note – Colin performs at our Annual Art Show for BC Persons with  Developmental Diosabilities in October ( Commuity Living Month).