Studio House Party, Spring 2025 Edition

I try to have the studio join us at our home for a social gathering last least once a year. It would happen more often, but the hour-long drive proves a barrier. We’ve gotten into a rhythm with these parties that tends to persist, year to year, in which a meal is followed by some casual music-making, followed later on by the lighting of the bonfire. This year I asked the students to each bring along a song they would sing for the group, while self-accompaning. (This was not an “assignment”—just a silly ask). I figured we’d have some laughs as most of us are definitely not singers. Happily, most of the students did in fact sing. We followed our cookout-style dinner, eaten out on the patio in the beautiful weather, with a sit-around in the living room, assorted instruments in hand.

First up was Rio Manzanares, who sang all the verses for us of Marty Robbins’ El Paso, as well as the bluegrass favorite of JD Crow and the New South Old Home Place. . He was joined by Solis on the tenor banjo and JoNell on the uke, then eventually, by everyone.

Solis, Rio and JoNell

Thomas Stafford sang a heartfelt rendition of Auld Lang Syne. We all joined in.

Thomas Stafford, mandolin, with Alekandr Lapshin, bass

Solis Dornan sang Besame Mucho—we all helped out.

Damian sang as well, Blind Boy Fuller’s Step It Up and Go. Illia, Aleks’ mom, played a solo piece by Rachmaninov.

Illia played a Rachmaninov Prelude

In addition, JoNell and I sang a few. As a solo, I offered up Get ‘Em From the Peanut Man, to general hilarity, and of course, Tweedle Dee. She sang Will You Love Me Tomorrow, To Know Him Is To Love Him, and a few others, all while playing the uke and assisted by my guitar and harmonies. Ron, Sam’s dad, shared with us The Beatles’ In My Life, then we answered with Two Of Us. Everyone sang along.

We had more student-family members than usual—a nice addition to the mix, including Sam’s parents and grandmother, Damian’s mother and sister, and Aleks’ mother, who’d spent two entire days traveling through six airports to get here from Siberia.

JoNell with Aleks’ mom, Illia.

Aleks, with the author at the grill

We closed the evening with the customary bonfire. As usual, it was a doozy.