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The family that plays together . . .

Beautiful music only one element in the harmony that reigns among Johnson household's eight siblings

By Marc Shulgold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 12, 2008 at 3 p.m.

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At first glance, the Johnson family of Littleton seems too good to be true. Same thing on second glance.

Dale and Lisa are the proud, involved parents of eight talented string players - four youthful violinists and a pair of violists and cellists.

Enough for two string quartets - but not enough for the Johnsons. All eight children are home-schooled, all involved in the daily care and feeding of a backyard barnyard consisting of chickens, goats and other critters, plus a thriving vegetable garden.

Don't forget two cows across the street.

Everyone gets along. Household and barnyard chores are carried out each day, starting at the crack of dawn with feeding and milking. Academic lessons proceed in orderly fashion, as do musical practice sessions - organized, so that the sound of violins won't argue with the sound of cellos.

Sibling rivalry? Not a chance. The older Johnsons give instruction to the younger Johnsons, cheering their progress.

The family that plays together evidently stays together. Since all 10 are devoted Christians, engaging in daily Bible study, it's also evident that the family that prays together . . . you get the idea.

The level of musicianship among the Johnson family is high: The four eldest have been, or remain, members of the prestigious Denver Young Artists Orchestra. The four youngest children already demonstrate considerable talent. And yet, careers in music performance aren't the object; the older kids have developed outside interests alongside their musical chops.

"If we pushed them, they may have wanted to quit," Lisa said. "There has never been an end goal with this."

It's an inspiring family, though with no overt intentions to be so. Gathered in the spacious living room, the 10 Johnsons shared the simple joys of being together.

Since Dale is a Lakewood-based bookkeeper, doing administrative work for various businesses, it fell on Lisa to serve as in-home teacher. She'd played piano and a little flute, so she decided that her curriculum would include music.

"I chose strings for the kids because I wanted to develop their ear," she said. "I was told that 4 was a good age to start."

"Good music is so important," Dale chimed in. "It can help their brains develop."

Musical dominos

The music began with the family's first child, Joanna, now 23.

"I started with Suzuki (training) at 4. Mom started on violin so she could figure it out," Joanna said. "She'd practice with me."

Lisa explained that parental involvement is key in the Suzuki method. "Essentially, we reteach what they learned in the class. It's all about praising them and encouraging them. We don't tell them to go off and practice. At least not until they're 10 or 12."

Matthew was born two years after Joanna, and would also enter Suzuki at age 4. Like many energetic boys, he was less than enthralled.

"It was not a happy time for him," Lisa recalled. "He'd say, 'Mommy, why do I have to play the violin? I'd rather play in the playroom.' He struggled with it."

In fact, he gave it up, soon drawn to the piano. A couple of years later, Matthew went back to strings - this time to the larger, deeper viola. "I wanted to be in the crowd," he said, referring to the viola's place in the center of the orchestra's string section.

The third Johnson child, Timothy, didn't take up an instrument until later on. Meanwhile, his younger sibling, Laura, had become intrigued with the violin by watching her older sister.

"I saw Joanna's example and I just wanted to play," said Laura, now 17. "I loved music."

Laura was all of 2 when Joanna's teacher gave her a little violin to try out. Later that year, the toddler played her first recital. "I loved practicing with Mom," she said.

"My children are my delight, and I love practicing with them," Lisa noted. "But I do drill them."

Each of the Johnson children studies music outside the home, in Suzuki classes or with private instructors.

Just as Matthew had resisted at first, Timothy was more interested in being a boy than a musician. But he soon joined the party. Since his siblings needed a cello to complete a classical string quartet, the choice of instrument was obvious.

"They asked me to play," said Timothy, now 19. "I started on a foam cello and a stick when I was around 6."

Being in a family was fun, and, right from the start, so was playing music. "There was never pressure on us," Joanna said. "Never a sense of 'You have to be really good.' "

Two years after Laura was born, Mark arrived. "When I was 10, I really looked up to Matt, but I was studying (violin) with Joanna," said Mark, now 15. When he turned 12, he switched to viola, Matt's instrument.

"Once a month or so, we'd play a retirement home - for free, or they'd give us gas money," Mark reported.

Timothy added: "We'd play, then we'd sing, then we'd play, then one of us would play spoons."

It sounds like the Littleton version of Austria's Von Trapps; but more Johnsons were on the way. "We see children as a blessing from God," Dale said.

Along came Nathan and (no surprise) he showed interest in music. "When I saw Timothy play, I thought, 'Oh, that would be fun,' " said the cellist, now 11.

Timothy was happy to encourage his little brother, handing down his own one- eighth-size instrument. With not a hint of arrogance, Nathan spoke about the ease with which he learned to play. "I went farther than the other (Suzuki) kids. I went through several teachers. I'm still doing that."

Soon, he'll begin private instruction, since the Suzuki age limit is 12.

Two more Johnsons appeared: Bethany, now 9, and Christina, 7.

"When I was 4," Bethany noted, "Mom said, 'You're going to play the violin.' I was so excited. I looked forward to each of my lessons."

Most eager of all was the final Johnson.

"When I was 2, I kept asking, 'Can I? Can I? Can I?' " Christina recalled.

Lisa laughed, recalling how her littlest one would pretend to play violin with two pencils, or with a hair brush. The siblings marvel at Christina's natural talents.

"She picked things up by ear, right from the start," Matthew said. "We wrote a piece, and Christina learned to sing all the parts."

Playing on

Though a span of 16 years separates them, music unites the children - and for the four oldest, the Denver Young Artists Orchestra offered a place to expand their technique and interact with other gifted young players.

Joanna is the senior member of the orchestra, having joined 10 years ago. "She's been through three music directors," observed Chris Silberman, DYAO executive director. "Joanna and Matt have been here during my entire (six-year) tenure. To see them blossom has been really cool."

All four Johnsons have willingly assumed added responsibilities, leading sectional rehearsals, serving as mentors and, as Silberman noted, "taking on a motherly and fatherly role. It can be so overwhelming for the new kids in the orchestra. It's so valuable for them to have peers who are able to offer encouragement."

Each year, he said, the orchestra welcomes a handful of siblings, but the Johnsons hold the record at four DYAO members simultaneously.

Silberman noted that this is Joanna's final year with DYAO - at 23, she's reached the age limit. In a way, her impending departure is symbolic of the fact that the Johnson household soon will be reduced in number, as each child grows into adulthood.

Joanna, who switched to the viola two years ago, is leaning toward a career in music education - already giving lessons to 30 young string students. She's completing her bachelor's degree in music through the online program of the New Jersey-based Thomas Edison State College. Last year, she was the first recipient of the DYAO's Adam Flatt Leadership Scholarship, which provides a full year's ($600) tuition to be a member of the orchestra.

Matthew works as a part-time computer programmer, owns his own tech-support business and hopes to earn a business degree through Thomas Edison State.

"I always thought of (music) as something we can do on the side - not necessarily as a career," said Matthew, who nonetheless is continuing his studies with Colorado Symphony principal violist Basil Vendryes.

Timothy is a beekeeper and sells honey, also working part time with a veterinarian. Most mornings, you'll see him returning from milking his cows with Mark, each pedaling a unicycle, a full bucket in each hand.

"We give the milk to friends and family, since it's illegal to sell it," Timothy explained. "For me, it's the knowledge that this is fresh, healthy milk I'm providing. Same with the honey. It's fresh and very good for you."

Laura is leaning toward a nursing career - she volunteers at a local hospital, and received her nurse's aide license at the early age of 16. "I realized early on that I just love helping people. But I do want to keep playing in our quartet."

That would be the Johnson Quartet, which consists of the four oldest and has developed into an in-demand group. The foursome has played at weddings and, recently, for a gathering of the Kentucky delegation at the Democratic National Convention.

Lisa gives all the credit for her family's success to God. "We've applied biblical principals toward achieving success and character quality."

Dale offered a sense of perspective on his remarkable children. "Music is just one piece of their life. It's just another expression of family love."

The Suzuki Method

This program of early training was created about 40 years ago by Shin'ichi Suzuki, who observed the ability of toddlers to learn a language, and applied that to music. Group classes stress memorization over note-reading. The program's Web site (suzukiassociation.org) explains that parental participation is crucial: "Parents are involved in the musical learning of their child. They attend lessons with the child and serve as 'home teachers.' One parent often learns to play before the child, so that she/he understands what the child is expected to do. Parents work with the teacher to create an enjoyable learning environment."

Meet the Johnsons

The update, from oldest to youngest.

* Joanna: 23, violin, viola. As winner of the Lakewood Sister Cities Music Scholar Competition, went to Chester, England, this summer, where she performed Walton's Viola Concerto.

* Matthew: 21, viola. Founder and CEO of ReThink Business Solutions, rethinkbiz.com. Built a violin by hand at Red Rocks Community College.

* Timothy: 19, cello. Owner of two cows, Hilde and Elsie; founder/CEO of Busy Bee Enterprises, provider of honey and beeswax, bbehoney.com.

* Laura: 17, violin. Awarded a certified nurse's aide license last year, volunteers at Lutheran Hospital.

* Mark: 15, viola. Primary animal caretaker at the Johnson home, chief milker of Manna and Miriam, the family goats.

* Nathan: 11, cello. Actively interested in computer programming and photography.

* Bethany: 9, violin. Avid reader, usually involved with four or five books at once.

* Christina: 7, violin. Bethany's sidekick, fond of picking out tunes she hears her siblings play.

* Johnson Quartet: Joanna, Matthew, Timothy and Laura are members of this musical group. Information: johnsonquartet.com