There once was a boy who attended a piano workshop. He wasn’t sure piano was what he wanted to pursue, but he faithfully showed up (OK, that’s because I made him get in the car and drive to the elementary school where classes were held), and he plugged away at the lessons. Twice a week he went back, and on all the other days, he practiced. He did well, and somewhere during the course of his eight-week study, he started enjoying what he was doing. So did his brother, who glared at me from a bench on day No. 1, angry I was forcing him into this activity.
It’s been nearly four months since that first lesson, and for two of those months, the boy and his brother have been taking private lessons from the man who taught the workshop. He tells me he’s impressed with what he hears, and I am, too. What charms me most is that this boy, who would have rather been perched in front of a computer screen instead of learning to read music this summer, seems so natural at the keyboard. His little fingers know right where to go, he sways a bit to the sounds he creates, and much of the time, he doesn’t even look at his music book. Once he learns the song, it’s in his head, and he can crank it out on command. This skill — the memorizing of songs — has earned the boy double stickers on some lesson days, and he has collected 12 in all. This week, he turns them in for a prize. We don’t know yet what it will be (he’s secretly hoping it’s the adorable puppy that lives at the teacher’s house!), but on Wednesday, we will find out. We’ll also find out how well he does on this-week’s songs. I’m betting he rattles off some beauties, and I’m pretty sure another two stickers will be awarded.
Way to play, Danny!
A boy and his piano
There once was a boy who attended a piano workshop. He wasn’t sure it was the instrument he wanted to pursue, but he faithfully showed up, and he plugged away at the lessons. Twice a week he went back, and on all the other days, he practiced. He did well, and somewhere during the course of his study, he started enjoying what he was doing. So did his brother, who glared at his mom from a bench on day No. 1, angry she was forcing him into this activity.
It’s been nearly four months since that first lesson, and for two of those months, the boy and his brother have been taking private lessons from the man who taught the workshop. He says he’s impressed with what he hears, and so is the mom. What charms her most is that this boy, who would have rather been perched in front of a computer screen instead of learning to read music this summer, seems so natural at the keyboard. His little fingers know right where to go, he sways a bit to the sounds he creates, and much of the time, he doesn’t even look at his music book. Once he learns the song, it’s in his head, and he can crank it out on command. This skill — the memorizing of songs — has earned the boy double stickers on some lesson days, and he has collected 12 in all. This week, he turns them in for a prize. He doesn’t know yet what it will be (he’s secretly hoping it’s the adorable puppy living at the teacher’s house!), but on Wednesday, he will find out. He’ll also find out how well he does on this-week’s songs. Mom is betting he rattles off some beauties, and it’s pretty possible another two stickers will be awarded.
Way to play, Danny! You make your momma proud!
