The kids have grown up seeing us play together. I think that children naturally want to be with their parents. . . . They liked practicing because it was their time with their father and mother.

The children go home and start correcting their parents and then the parents don't know if it's a blessing or a curse.

When parents have little education and few resources, their kids simply have more ground to make up. Given the compelling role socioeconomic conditions play, the state should consider bolstering programs that assist parents -- such as improving adult literacy and English language skills -- and that target workplaces.

It was our family's first appearance with an orchestra. For Michael and me, it was a day we'll never forget.

Michael and I met through music. We were fixed up on a blind date. . . . I was teaching in New York, and Michael [who plays piano] had finished medical school and was working in San Francisco. He flew in to meet me and proposed seven hours later.

Parents always think it's the kids' fault. If they're naughty, it's the kids' fault. Not true! Children generally are not naughty for no reason.