Piano Lessons

PIANO LESSONS

As far back as my memory goes, the piano has always held a certain allure for me. I thought it was such a romantic instrument, and my fingers itched to tickle the ivories. For years, the desire lay dormant, but it wasn't until I was an adult in my early forties, that I became the proud owner of an old Mason & Risch upright player piano, circa 1895. Other than the player mechanism having been removed, it had been lovingly cared for over the years. I had the piano tuned and enrolled in adult lessons.

At first I was intimidated, but the owner of the music school assured me that he taught many adults, including an eighty-year-old woman. That reassured me somewhat -- I reasoned if she could learn, then so could I.

The school had state-of-the-art software, which provided sheet music to any desired song, at any level. After four weeks, I was given a simplified version of the music to "The Heart Will Go On," from the movie, "Titanic." What a thrill it was to play, even at a rudimentary level. Other songs of my choosing followed. This made the lessons infinitely more appealing, and I never got bored.

I grew to love the solitude of the piano. It became my escape, my relaxation, and my outlet for expression. Never could I walk by it without stopping for "just a moment" to play something. That moment stretched to an hour, and I got my daily practice in without it ever being a chore. The piano is now such a part of my life, that if a day passes without my piano fix, I feel incomplete.

Although the desire and enthusiasm were there, I often chafed at my inability to play well. Some days my mind and fingers segued with each other, and other days they refused to obey. I may have played a piece satisfactorily at home, but when I had my lesson, it was as if my brain had turned to mush and I had never seen a piano before in my life. Moments like these made me think seriously of selling my piano.

Even now, three years later, I sometimes despair under the scrutiny of my teacher, who sees all, hears all. It is impossible to conceal any imperfections. Occasionally I surprise myself, and my fingers move on their own accord, hitting the right chords with fluidity and grace.

I have no desire to be a performer, being content to play only well enough to satisfy my creative yearnings, but take away my sheet music, and I am totally lost. I also find it distracting to play when accompanied by someone singing, so there go any aspirations of being a lounge entertainer.

Besides the technical aspects of music study, I also learned life lessons from the piano.

I learned patience. When I realized that becoming an accomplished piano player would not happen overnight, I began to relax and enjoy the musical ride. Learning at my own pace relieved me of external pressures, since I knew I wasn't going to be taking exams or performing in recitals.

I learned perseverance. Determined not to give up, I took lessons year round, even during the summer.

I learned math skills. The notational system requires instant mental calculations based on the notes on the staff, and the different time beats have to be played accordingly. I have a love-hate relationship with the metronome and some days could quite cheerfully throw it out the window.

I learned mental concentration. My memory improved, even on the days my fingers had amnesia.

I learned self-discipline. Repetitive and diligent practice increased my skill and boosted my self-esteem.

I learned to multi-task. Simultaneous movement of several body parts, such as eye-hand coordination and foot pedaling, had to be synchronized with note reading.

I learned to really listen. I developed an appreciation for the extraordinary compositions of the great masters of classical music. A few times, I heard discordance in a piece I was playing, which was a printing error in my music book. It's amazing what the absence of a required sharp or flat can do to a composition.

Piano study has become an achievable goal. Even a few minutes of playing each day nourishes my mind and spirit, and I feel more prepared to tackle whatever the day has in store. My passion for learning sustains me as I face the music and believe that adults, too, can learn how to play. I strive to achieve inner harmony from playing fluently and passionately. That is the dream that sustains me.

Perhaps I won't sell the piano after all.

Maria Harden

Story ID:	185
Written by:	Maria Harden (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
Year:	2002
Person:	Maria Harden