My busy day

I've never really blogged about my piano teaching stuff. 

 I don't know why, I've just kept it private.  

I guess feel like the student/parent/teacher privilege is much like the

patient/doctor, or lawyer/client privileges that others enjoy.

I still feel this way.

I try very hard not to talk to other students about other students.

I'm not completely successful, but do pretty well :)

Today is recital day.

For my students this day just smoothly happens.

They DO have work to do getting their piano pieces ready . . . . 

but they come and the recitals work like a well oiled machine.

For me, it is a different story.

It began many years ago when I decided I wanted to hold the recital at the church.

Actually it was decided for me. 

The store I had had it in went out of business!

I started having the recitals in the Relief Society room.

Because the size of my piano studio grew

we soon grew out of that room.

Then I held them in the cultural hall.

I had to roll in a better piano and it was lacking to say the least.

I just didn't think it was "just" (fair) that a perfectly good baby grand piano

was sitting in the chapel . . . . 

so unused,

and so wanting to be used by my students

 :)

(I just know that piano wanted to be used)

The challenge?

LDS people have so many rules pertaining to the chapel.

No clapping.

No filming.

My students were mostly non-members at that time.

Can you imagine asking them NOT to film, NOT to clap for their children?

I couldn't do it.

So I approached the then Stake President of our Stake and bent his ear for a while.

He gave me permission to film and have applause

AND use the baby grand in the chapel.

My then bishop quickly agreed to the concept.

Three bishops later,

I can't tell you I've had a smooth path,

NOT from the bishop, 

but from the many members who have felt very uncomfortable

filming and applauding in the chapel.

Every new student/new parent that gets exposed

to this concept has a learning curve,

if you are LDS you know why.

They learn quickly that it is okay though.

Even my most stalwart families are applauding and filming.

All but one family,

but that is another story.

WOW, I so did NOT plan to tell this story.

I was going to talk about the shopping I do for rewards for the students at recital.

I was going to tell about the certificates I print out.

The agony of deciding the order in which the students play 

and printing the program.

(they all notice where they are placed in the performance

 and whether they've moved up or down a notch)

Parent's requests for early performances in the recital.

Parent's request for late performances.

The seating arrangement in the choir seats.

I was going to tell about the five different baked goods I'm going to bake today.

FIVE.

It is baking day,

recital day,

a day where I have to shine as much as the students,

and possibly am more nervous than my students.

The night after a recital I have a hard time sleeping.

My brain is processing, processing, processing.

Processing the performances,

and the conversations had with parents.

For my students/myself/and parents,

December will be a month of  playing Christmas carols

and a complete lack of getting ready for a recital.

NICE!

In a Pickle

A couple of weeks ago,

I found myself in somewhat of a pickle.

When I teach piano, for some reason,

no matter if anyone is at home or not,

I always close the door to my piano studio while teaching.

One morning I had a student,

an adult that I know well.

We walked in the room, shut the door,

and had our piano lesson.
Afer the lesson

I got up to let her out of the room,

and the door was locked, 

from.the.other.side.
How this happened is a mystery to me.

This room is a room that COULD have been a garage at some point in time.

And most doors to garages have locks on them.

As far as I know it has never been a garage
but the lock on the door does exist!

A couple of years ago we changed the windows and screens 

on our home, and short of ruining the screen

I  have not been able figure out how to take the screens off of these new windows!

I have been locked in this room before.
It was an easy fix before our window change.
I just popped out the screen and walked to the front door and let myself back in!

In THIS instance,

I could not get the screens off the window!
No one was at home for me to yell at to come let us out.

Neither of us had cell phones.

And even if we had cell phones, I had locked the MAIN house as she had entered.

No neighbors were out and about for me to yell for help.
We contemplated spending our entire day locked in this room
doing heavens knows what?

Then I remembered . . . .
We didn't replace the windows on the backside of the room.
They were already double-paned and didn't need replacing.
AND they have the old screens which are easy to disengage!

THE PROBLEM:

The back window has quite a drop down to the ground.

My student and I decided we would give it a try.
I being the smaller of the two of us went out the window
while she held my arms so I could shimmy down and get closer to the ground
to make my drop!
I had her reinsert the screen
then I found our hidden entry key to the house
and we were saved!

What a bonding experience for the two of us.

I asked Lincoln to please replace the door handle,
and what did he do?
Turned the handle the other direction,
so now it could be possible for me to lock myself
OUT of the piano studio!!!!

We just need another door handle,
I'm a think'n.

What an adventure.

Big hands

I thought this video was so funny.

When I'm teaching the piano and a student has a hard time reaching a chord, I say 

"that's okay,_______ (insert composer's name) MUST have had big hands."  

I just about died when I saw this . . . . maybe only a pianist can enjoy?

maybe?

It has been so

WONDERFUL

having our daughter here to spend time with us!

One of the things I miss about having Halley around

is our ability to make music together.

I sent her this duet

 a couple of months ago

and she really took up the challenge and learned it!

It's been so fun playing it . . .

the joy of having one of your children share a talent

is OVERWHELMING!

Not perfect . . . . . but hopefully you can enjoy!

(Chopsticks, Theme and Variations)

Yesterday was so fun.

Halley and some of her friends got together

(with myself and McKay along!)

It was great hearing them talk about their schooling

and what they've accomplished.

I remember their conversations from over 6 years ago

and mostly they've achieved what they set out to do.

The gal on the left (Nicole) has gone into "the ministry" after receiving her education,

Tamesha is finishing up her schooling in music and has just one year left,

Katie finished her degree in broadcasting and is working in television ,

and Halley's major was vocal performance and has a studio of 20 students!

They are all go-getters!

Nicole, Tamesha, Katie and Halley

Later in the evening our family got together for a family dinner.

I FORGOT to take pictures :(

I always love family dinners and being able to catch up with the fam!

The time that Halley is here is moving by to fast . . . . . .

Something fun

At church on Sunday we had a visitor from the past.  I watched her grow up from a wee little one . . . . and then her family moved when she was a teen.  She is here visiting her sister while her husband is off doing military training!  So fun to see her.

Right before Relief Society she came up to me with a piano book with my name written on it in the upper right hand corner.  She explained to me that she had had the book for years (probably 8 to 10 years) and had felt bad that she had one of my books and wasn't able to return it because her family had moved. 

She need not have felt badly, and I told her so.  I can't believe she thought to bring the book here all the way from Texas!  My husband and I just the day before had been discussing that there were probably hundreds of piano books with my name in the upper right hand corner (meaning they are from my "lending" piano book library) out there in various homes!!!  I write them off on taxes (I need the tax write-off!!) and so when they are returned they are a BONUS!

What is funny is I hadn't even really remembered that I had taught her piano lessons.  NOW I remember though!  She returned the book, and added that her last calling in the church had been as a primary pianist and  "thank you for teaching me" were her last words to me. 

Sometimes I feel that because I charge money for piano lessons that it really isn't much of a community service . . . . but I'm going to have to reconsider this train of thought . . . . it was really a fulfilling idea to know that she was able to serve in the church because of something that I had contributed to her life . . . . . I often talk about my "pay week" which is the first week of the month in my piano studio.  But this young lady gave me a REAL pay day.  I need to thank HER.

Humbled and . . . . . Honored

Today something kinda-a weird is happening to me.

My mom is starting to take piano lessons from me.  . . . . . from me.

This is the woman who inspired me to take lessons and stick with it.  This is the woman who paid for my lessons for years.  This is the woman that I listened to while she taught other kids lessons in our home.  She taught me herself for 4 years and then passed me on to other teachers for the remaining 10 years that I had lessons.  She had a couple of pieces of piano music that I would beg her to play for me.  I loved them, and it was my goal to be able to play them.  I don't think I've ever played them as well as she did.

Why is she taking lessons?  Through the years she has let her talent wain a little bit, well, a lot of bit!  In recent years she has been working to get her talent back.  She has made a ton of progress and is now ready to focus and be accountable to someone so she she will work even harder.  She has started teaching piano again and has been serving in the church as a pianist again. 

Can you believe she asked how much I charged?  After paying for 10 years of my lessons there is no way in Hades I'd let her pay me.  :)

Humbled and Honored.   Yes.

This is one of the pieces my mom played that I loved. I couldn't find a video that even gives it even a little of the justice my mom can make this piece sound like . . . . . She makes it sing and come alive!!!

The Jury is in

Judge Tina residing.

Last week as my piano students filtered through my piano studio, I was anxious to see and hear their responses to seeing and playing the new piano.   The reactions were varied from. . . . 

~not noticing (Whaaat???)

~ignoring (probably speechless:)

~two, yes TWO, of my students said, "Oh, you got an "old fashioned" piano." (good grief!)

~It sounds like the "grand piano" button on our piano at home.  (they practice on an electric!)

~One student turned the corner and almost sat in mid-air where the piano bench used to be, then turned around and sat in the new spot, again, not seeming to notice any differences in the piano. 

~One of the more excited students didn't want to play the piano because she was afraid to make mistakes and not live up to the standard of the piano! (I'll have to admit I felt the same when I first sat at it)

Because of the snow we had last week, I still have new reactions from my "no-show" students this week, something to look forward to.  I still have one student that didn't come last week, who after his mother told them they didn't have room for a grand piano, declared to her that "You can put it in my room, I'd sleep on it!"  It'll be fun to see his reaction . . . . . . maybe!

With this piano my students (and I) have been able to achieve a wider range of dynamics.  Softer softs, louder louds, crisper staccato, and beauteous (a word?) legato.   I can see that it will increase my standards and it almost automatically increased theirs!  I've played the piano for hours just having fun.  For some reason, just having fun isn't enough for me.  What is more rewarding is getting down to some "work" on it, and I'm going to dive into that this week! 

Court adjourned!!

Super Saturday

If yesterday was "Flashback Friday" then today has to be SUPER SATURDAY!  I've been keeping a lid on this news and only have told a handful of people about it.  I've been sooooooooo excited this week (and darn it! sick with a head cold!).  I've been dreaming of blog titles that could represent how I feel . . . . . .

~ A dream come true

~We must be CrAzY!

~We did it!

~Special delivery . . . . . . .

~Good things come to those who wait

~Dreams really do come true

~We finally took the leap!

~Drum roll please . . . . .

~Ta Daaaaa

~I can't believe it!

~A picture is worth a thousand words

~Our family just gave birth to a 800 lb 6' 1" inch . . . . . . .

Grand Piano!!!

On Monday when we bought the piano I cried when the man shook my hand and congratulated us!  Delivery was today, yay!  I can't wait to see my piano students faces next week.  (and can't believe I'm leaving for stake conference only an hour after it arrived, but, I'll be back!!)