My story: from loathing to love

by Sparrow Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:02 am

I guess my story begins with my first memory. Other people would probably say a parent's face or a favorite toy, but with me, my first memory is sound. The sound of feet walking by, the sound of my sister at the piano, the sound of my families voices. Pretty soon I was crawling over to the piano whenever my sister played, so I could hear her. My sister started teaching me to read music about the same time I learned the alphabet. Nothing kept me occupied like sitting at the piano and teaching myself different songs. At the age of seven, I started lessons with a real teacher. Sadly, I was so shy that I had trouble playing for her. Because of this she didn't have an accurate idea of what level I was at, and I progressed very very slowly.

When I was ten, my teacher moved away. My new teacher was a young man who was very talented, but lacked experience. He loved jazz, and played in a band. He was only teaching for the money, and I knew it and resented it. It didn't help that I was still pretty shy, and he didn't understand why I wouldn't practice and wouldn't play to the best of my ability. It was my fault, I admit. I should have tried harder. But he crossed the line the day he threw up his hands and said there was nothing he could do for me, I obviously had no future in music. From that day on, I was no longer shy around him. I was very very angry, and I refused to play to the best of my ablility just to spite him. I hated playing the piano, and hated music in general. That half hour weekly lesson was the plague of my existance.

This went on for five years. I begged my parents to let me quit, but they knew I could do better if I just tried, so they insisted I keep taking lessons. Eventually, the teachers rates got too expensive, and we switched to a teacher who was cheaper and closer to home. This changed everything! I love my teacher, she's the kindest, most encouraging, hardest working woman I've ever met, and she loves music and loves all her students. All she wants is to teach us to love music too. She is always supportive, no matter what it is I want to play or audition for.

It amazed me what a big difference the right teacher made. I went from loathing the piano to living for it. Because of this, I've decided to be a music teacher, although I've settled on choir director, and only maybe piano teacher. I can't describe what music means to me, because in a way it IS me. Each piece I play, each note I hit, is different than the last, and different from anything anyone will ever play again.

So thanks, Mrs. piano teacher! When I'm rich and famous, I'll buy you that Steinway piano you've always wanted. Very Happy