~ Natural talent and hard work pays off Continued from Page 1. approached by somebody about a tour and so asked Ormonde and Cara about the possibility. Cara Butler Sr. Greg and Cara were about 13 and with the added rehearsals and 15 at the time. The But- it would reauire. a radio show lers decided against it. Cara would be too much work. Both explains she and her husband children were playing so they felt a tour would mean the chil- could become serious musidren were committed to music cians later in life., says Cara and that would consume their Sr. lives at a young age. She notes her children were "It turned out that was their very close, arguing only when life, but you didn't want it at they were practising together. that age," she says. Still, they One child felt a piece of music had recitals in Cobourg, King- should be played one way, the ston and Toronto and they al- other thought it should be ways sold out. At one such played another way. It was a event Cara received 37 bou- matter of artistic interpretaquets of flowers. It was some- tion among adolescents. Cara thing she'd become used to but Sr. acted as the "referee." Cara Sr. says, "From the first As an extreme example of time she'd ever held a bouquet she held them like she'd been how their lives were, Cara Sr. recalls the time the two taped born holding roses." While most parents dream a radio program Thursday eveof having gifted children, the ning, performed a Christmas Butlers understood the sacri- concert duet the following fices necessary for such a life morning at Belleville Colleand feared it might rob them of giate Institute and then boarded a train for Toronto their childhood. On another occasion the where they did a two piano rechildren were offered their own cital at Bates' house. The daily routine for Cara weekly radio program but declined because Mona Bates meant rising at 6:30 a.m. and frowned on the idea -- "She practising, then again at noon didn't want them rattling off and after dinner. Still, Cara anything," says Cara Sr. -- found time for skating and ten- nis and both youngsters did well in school. At 13, when many musically inclined people begin playing an instrument, Cara started teaching piano to other students. Despite these hours of hard work and great praise, Cara Sr. says her children were very ordinary outside their natural gifts. "They never took themselves seriously." Greg pursued a career in music, getting his doctorate in the field from Eastman's School of Music in Rochester. He later played at the White House and on Feb. 26 he returned to Belleville for a concert at Centennial Secondary School with the Eastern Ontario Concert Orchestra. He is now head of the music department at Windsor University. Cara married and stopped playing professionally. She still resides in Belleville. Although her days of playing for large audiences are past, many Ontario residents, and certainly those in Belleville, have wonderful recollections of she and her brother's magnificent performances. - ··