No I do not teach piano, nor do I take piano lessons. But, 5 of my children have, two currently. Piano lessons are a big part of my life. Every Monday morning my girls get up early for lessons before school. Hailey at 7:15 & Chloe is at 7:30. Hailey goes straight to school after that. Luckily their teacher is not far. It is a sacrifice seeing that they have to get ready early & have everything together the night before. I think before school lessons teach discipline plus they have decided they would rather go early than after school because it messes up their other plans. My experience has been that at least the first two years or more I have to sit with them while practicing (at least part of the week, frankly I'm not very good at it lately) to make sure they are really learning & staying on track. This is a real commitment- they practice 10 minutes for every year in school - six days a week (H-80 minutes/C- 60 minutes) Just like Megan they play beautifully & it is a real joy in my life to hear them make music.
On the other hand- helping a child learn to play the piano... pretty much ranks up there with potty training. It's not for the weak or feeble mother. The whining, crying, pounding, pleading, overall quest to waste time & do anything but practice- it's truly something to behold. Years of children pouting under the piano- begging to quit. Let's face it- it gets to you- it's tough.
After several years, I video taped a testimonial from Brian. He was allowed to quit only after expressing that yes, his parents did provide piano lessons, and that he was fully aware of his "natural ability" (quote from teacher). Thought of as the student with the most potential... he still quit- it was his choice.
Jack took for years also... we sure got our money's worth out of that 2ND level book.
To this day they can both pound out a few songs... the Imperial March from Stars Wars Easy Piano, being the most frequent. No other song in the history of the Messer home is more annoying.
Two years ago Hailey decided she had had enough. She was level 5 (the last level in most piano book series) it was just too much. Luckily by now the pangs of quitting had started to swell within her brothers & the obvious talent of an older sister was clear in her mind. The boys would have nothing of it. She was so good & so far into it. It was too late to give up. She had crossed the line- it was part of her life now.
As a seventh grader one of her teachers gave the assignment to write an auto biography. This is one of her paragraphs...
"Right now, I am still involved in a ton of music. I play the piano. It is my very favorite instrument. I practice seventy minutes every day, and the time is still growing. I love playing and being able to play for my friends when they sing. I used to beg my mom to quit, but she always told me that she would let me if I wasn't so good. I am so happy she made me stick with it because it gives me a lot of great opportunities. I like being involved in a musical instrument because it helps me set my mind to something and get it done. That is a good quality of the piano, because I love hearing the music coming from my fingers instead of an I-pod, and I like piano for me. Piano is a good thing, I can't get away from it. Right now, my favorite thing in the whole wide world is music." Hailey April 2007
It's moments like this that keep a mother going. I will post some pictures of H&C playing on this post later today- if they'll let me. Guess who wants to take piano lessons now...
TRENT
* do you play an instrument?
* did your mom "let" you quit piano lessons, did she really have a choice?
3 comments:
Yep, I'm a quitter! I took piano lessons when I was in Jr. High... I didn't have a great teacher, she was pretty old and not very encouraging, I thought she put me down everytime I went. So that didn't help things. I liked to play for myself, but didn't want to play in front of anyone else.
But she and my mother agreed it would be good for me to play in a recital... so she picked out a piece... the Music Box Dancer, it was pretty hard for me, but I was learning it. Then I was playing volleyball at school and hit the ball on the end of my pinky finger and broke the tendons. I had to get a pin put down inside my finger and it was wrapped up to about 5 times it's normal size in this guaze wrap. Whew, I am out of that stupid recital... I thought!
Nope, old piano teacher decides she can teach me to play the piece without my pinky finger one week before the recital, and Mom agreed to let her try.
I was crushed!!!
I tried to learn it, but my heart wasn't in it.
Recital came, Mom took pictures of me in my dress (I hated dresses too) and you can tell I was not a happy camper in the pictures to this day.
I got up and played the first page and the last page and got up and walked off. Nobody knew but Mom and the old piano teacher, and Mom agreed after that I didn't have to go back.
So I left with a horrible taste in my mouth about ever learning any instrument again.
Now as an adult, I regret I didn't come up with a different solution to all the built up hate, like changing teachers. And I really regret not learning how to play.... so I have a level one book and over the past 6 months have started teaching myself. When I practice I do good, when I don't practice it's not like riding a bike at all, when you don't use it you definately lose it!
I am so proud of my neices and the beautiful music they are able to play on the piano. They are such good examples to me to strive to be better!
Okay, here is my story....one of the ones whose mother wouldn't let them quit. I am not really sure why, guess I was just a whimp or she wanted me to have some type of talent. Unfortunately for my children that led to me not "forcing them to take lessons." You can ask any of them now and they will tell you that they wish they had stuck with it. I should have been tougher I guess. Oh well, hindsight is always 20/20...even in parenting. I love being able to play the piano even though I am not very sure of myself and have never been a "natural" I am very proud of you girls and hopefully Trent will surprise you Pats....Brian and Jack, now you two will have to join the ranks of Scout Master's, Bishop's, Stake Presidents etc....Just think how much simpler life could have been if you could have only played for primary....(my personal all time favorite church calling....)
I love it that you have a taped testimonial from Brian, that's hilarious!
I took lessons briefly when I was 12, but we didn't have a piano for me to practice on so I had to go to my next door neighbor's house while they were gone (they agreed to this) at work and practice there. But it was so creepy being in their house alone and I hated it.
A few years later my parents bought a piano and we tried again, but I was past my prime and busy with high school and ended up quitting.
My kids show some interest in lessons, but we don't have a piano and I fear the whining, crying, pleading and all of that. What do you advise?
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