Grouse Creek youngster garners more acclaim,
featured in Governor's State of the State address
Although Heston Warr prefers music to doing chores, he helps his dad with feeding, fencing and other duties on the ranch. He enjoys the cattle drives with family and friends and is involved with 4-H and raising and showing his steers. Courtesy photo.
By Tawni Blanthorn
Grouse Creek Correspondent
Our little town prodigy, Heston Warr, has managed to climb a few more stairs of success since we wrote of him last, close to a year ago. Heston was receiving piano lessons from Nedra Bedke of Oakley when he won a piano competition in Burley, Idaho, last April.
It was there his talent was discovered with professionals in awe that he had only been playing for eight months. After that, it didn't take long for him to make his way to Utah State University where he remains under the wing of Professor Gary Amano, director of Piano Program and Instruction. Heston considered this step to be a great honor, but his highest privilege yet surfaced last Wednesday at the State Capital.
Governor Gary Herbert's office called the Warr home a couple of weeks ago and asked if it would be okay for Governor Herbert to include Heston and his mom, Heather, founder of StandUpRanchers.com, in the State of the State address.
"I will actually have the chance to perform on a Steinway!" Heston said of one of the highlights he was looking forward to. The walls of the Warr home were filled with yet more excitement and honor. The tailored tuxedo with a tail, at Heston's request, was put on a rush order.
Heston has always been an over achiever in about everything he has had the interest to tackle. In the third grade, here was this little guy coming to the library, checking out big thick Harry Potter books, more often than not. In no time at all, he had the available sequels read and was waiting patiently for the next one to come to the library or catch it at the Bookmobile.
Teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Runyan began teaching the kids how to play the ukulele and recorders several years ago. It was evident then that Heston had a great amount of talent just waiting to bloom, by way of music. After a couple of weeks of petitioning for his own ukulele, Mom and Dad broke down, and he finally had one in hand. Puff, the Magic Dragon was one of the tunes that was heard a lot.
Heston was also introduced to Micro-Type when he was in the second grade. In that area also, at a very young age, he progressed with an impressive amount of speed in those little magic fingers of his.
Heston is popular in school, he is full of fun and imagination, and has all the support he needs from his classmates, teachers and family.
We have to wonder if the students at the school would have ever appreciated or recognized the related talents of Beethoven, had they not heard Heston banging on the piano keys at break, every chance he got.
Even though Heston has tried many endeavors in the cowboy ways, he is not a bit reluctant to share with you that boots, spurs, cow pucky and farm equipment (to name a few) are just not his favorite things.
As most ranchers believe, you can never have too much (good) help, and so on the family ranch in Etna, Heston does what is expected of him. Heston has his evening chores to tend to, and he helps Dad out with feeding and fencing and other duties if his is needed, and he usually does it with a smile. He enjoys the cattle drives with family and friends, pitches in at the brandings, and is active in 4-H and is quite successful with raising and showing his steers.
Learning to work with his dad has instilled a lot of the qualities Heston has and he is applying those qualities of dedication, determination, and hard work to his love of music.
Last week at the state capitol, while Heston was playing in the rotunda, it's been said the Warrs felt considerably "out of place." Heather made the comment "Fish out of Water." a couple of times. But family members couldn't help but notice how comfortable Heston was while playing at his best in front of all of those people and with the Governor. To their surprise and delight, Heston seemed to be very much at ease and was truly in his element that night.
The tables were slightly turned that evening from the small cowboy town of Grouse Creek, all the way to the Utah State Capitol.
Let this story be one to remind us to not be afraid of who we really are, follow dreams whatever the circumstance; dirt roads or city streets, it doesn't matter.
