There’s music in them hills of Mink Creek in Franklin County. Early in the morning, before the sun comes up over the Bear River Range, the light sounds of a violin or viola waft through the air or maybe the sounds of double bass strings being plucked or the lower tones of a bow being dragged across its strings.
Some boys have chores in the morning; the Seamons brothers work on their music early in the morning.
“We treat it like milking a cows. They get up early and go to work on their music,” their mother, Jennifer said.
The boy’s father, Jeff, a cabinetmaker, enjoys the music the boys play, Jennifer said. But then again, the boys have always been around music. In fact, their mother holds a master’s degree in music with an emphasis in voice.
From about the time they could pick up an instrument the boys were making music. The two oldest started at about four or five years of age learning the Suzuki method.
“Samual could sing all of Joseph’s notes, even big, long concertos before he could talk, so we actually started violin lessons with him at about three years old,” Seamons said
Now 15 years old, Samuel switched to the bass in the fifth grade.
The oldest, Joseph, 18, still plays the violin and Benjamin, 13, took to the viola.
They boys recently played at the Franklin County Fair and have played at others venues in the county when asked.
The youngest, Benjamin, recently decided he wanted to play at the Lyceum Music Festival in Midway, Utah. His desire was based on an opportunity to work with some of the musicians who were to be there.
The featured Guest Artist was an award-winning, YouTube sensation, Steven Sharp Nelson of The Piano Guys. Even though Benjamin wasn’t old enough to try out for the festival, 12 years old at the time, he did anyway and was accepted, and so were his two brothers.
Before school started, the boys participated in the weeklong music festival in Midway, Utah. The festival provided the Seamons brothers and other student musicians from ages 13 to 21 a sneak-peek into the professional world of orchestral music. The festival gave students a chance to work with industry leading Guest Artists and a Utah Symphony Musicians mentor. Then they all had a chance to perform with them to inspire the music students.
For the Seamons boys, it was the highlight of their summer.
Organizers of the festival made a professional youtube video and put it online so parents and friends could see what the young musicians accomplished. It can be watched at http://youtube/mJ_fkw5j-t0
Life could get pretty hectic for the family if they had to run the three boys to music lessons from three different instructors.
Jennifer went after the best instructors she knew from when she was teaching music at Southern Utah State University. Using computer software and wireless Internet connections the young artists can have videoconferences or skype lessons from anywhere.
“We went after some teachers we wanted and using a webcam the boys can do their lessons by skyping,” she said.
Besides their interest in music, the boys are also are heavy into sports.
Joseph has graduated from high school and is headed to BYU Idaho on a music scholarship. After playing soccer at PHS he continues his love for the sport by helping coach at Preston High School. The other two play football.
As a mom she realizes the boys may not be able to make a living with music, but she hopes having a love for music will impact the rest of their lives.
“Music teaches an inward response; they learn to listen and learn tone. It develops a beautiful heart and helps them in other academic areas,” Jennifer said of her boys and their musical pursuits.
“I don’t know if they will do it past high school or college, but I hope it will always be a part of their lives,” she said.