‘If you want to know when you’re too old to learn music, it’s somewhere past your 94th birthday’ said Ms. Dot Alder with a chuckle in her voice and a million-dollar smile on her face.
Ms. Dot, as she affectionately likes to be called, began her nine-decade musical journey by first singing in her elementary school choir and later played the clarinet in her school band.
Once she finished her formal education, band came to an end but her love for music persisted.
‘A memorable encounter with a church friend opened the door for me to reconnect with my musical passion. She mentioned that she was going to take piano lessons. I told her, ‘That sounds fun!’ so I decided to join her’, said Ms. Dot.
‘My life took several unexpected turns. My career flourished in spite of my husband’s death. I remarried and even though I’m now a widow for the second time, the song in my heart continued to find ways to be expressed through my piano playing’, said Dot.
Ms. Dot loves all kinds of music but the one style of music that has sustained her through the good and hard times is her love of church music.
‘I’ve had several excellent piano teachers at the Rockwall School of Music but my current teacher, Mr. Peter, has helped me the most with my church music’, said Dot.
Life is hard but God is Good is Ms. Dot’s motto.
‘I always like going to my music lessons. Russ and Karen Porter, along with the office staff, always make me feel welcome, comfortable. It’s a place where you feel like you belong’, said Dot.
‘I can tell you that this is the very best place with incredible staff and teachers. I’m here to stay!’, said Dot.