Mrs. Whatshername Would Be Proud!

[lynnzop[$]]

I can't remember my piano teacher's last name for the life of me, and I actually don't believe she's around any more. Forced to take lessons from first grade to HS graduation....I was a good "natural" player who hated to practice with a passion. I would practice for about 10 minutes before my lessons just so I could honestly say I had...and she'd always sigh, roll her eyes, and say "IF YOU'D JUST PRACTICE, you'd be a lot better than GOOD."

But...she'd be so proud of me this week.

Our church is having an ice cream social next Sunday. Entertainment to be provided by "local talent". I was asked to provide 10 minutes of solo stuff...and I decided it would be fun to dust off the old piano books and play some Joplin, instead of just singing.

I've been practicing 30-60 minutes a day, and the rust is starting to finally come off my fingers. Actually played Pineapple Rag last night up to speed and with just a couple little jumbles.

Has anyone else had a hankering to rejuvenate their old talents? Or what childhood memories of music lessons do you have?

[theworm[$]]

Good for you, Lynn!

Eye and I used to take Piano lessons. I was AWFUL!!!
The piano teacher was a lech! I don't think he did anything truly immoral or illegal, but I'm convinced that he had a thing for little girls. Many of my friends took lessons from him, and they ALL say how he used to sit a bit too close etc.
I got mad at him once when I thought he was too "touchy feely" and kicked him in the butt. Think that put him in his place. That was back when those big wooden platform shoes were in fashion.

[emeleel]

Wormie!

Every so often I dust off my flute case and play around with it. And sometimes I swear to myself I'm actually going to play it every day and get back to being "good". (I was like you - good, but never practiced. ) Those resolutions usually last about 2 days. !sigh

[lynnzop[$]]

Fiesty little worm! Good for you.

The worst thing my piano teacher did was rap on the key board (she always sat at the bass end) with a pencil to keep tempo. I wouldn't cooperate if she used a metronome (what a brat I was ), so she'd use the pencil to try to keep me in line.

I loved Beethoven and Tschycovski (still can't spell that) and hated Chopin. I would practice Beethoven or Peter, but refused to practice Chopin. My dad used to rag on me that I needed to learn more than just the classics.

[murasaki]

Good for you, Lynn!

I only had three years of lessons but my husband had something like twelve years so I suppose we will be inflicting the piano on our daughter. I have no talent, but he's quite good so maybe the right genes will find their way to her.

[jenninca]

I went through about four years of piano lessons with various teachers, but it wasn't until 9th grade, with lessons long past, that I really learned how to play. And that's only because I sat down regularly at the piano and started to learn, note by note, the songs that I wanted to know.

I want a piano. Haven't been around one for three years, and I miss it.

Cindy
who will start saving her pennies....

[slick4591[$]]

Keep up the good work, Lynn!

I am a piano class flunkie. I gave up gym class in the second grade to take the lessons. I would never hold my wrists straight which caused the teacher to correct me many times during a lesson. She must have gotten really fed up one day cause she rolled up a music book and whacked me across both wrists. The next day I went back to gym class.

I don't think being AWOL from the recital the night before had anything to do with it, though.

[Magick1]

I took piano for a while, and we moved, and moved, and moved again...so my parents gave up the piano, somewhere along one of the moves. I thought I did pretty well, but like everyone else, I did not really practice a lot. (It seemed to irritate my dad, so, I would go upstairs and hide & read books and things like that.)

I took clarinet when I was in junior/high school, but again, I did not practice as much as I could have or should have. Now, looking back, I had a little talent. Now, though, I found out that my mom took my clarinet and sold it, like she does so many things, at a pawn shop. So, even if I wanted to relive my "childhood" and recapture those musical moments, I would not be able to. (I actually asked her about the clarinet many, many years ago, because I would have been happy to have it at my house, and it was already a goner.)

Maybe I can re-live some of this if my daughter decides she wants to be musical. Is 15-16 months too young to buy a little keyboard? (I think my little one has a heck of an ear for music, she dances and move constantly with the music, no matter what music is on the radio, classical, rock, jazz, etc.)

[lynnzop[$]]

Cindy, I don't have my piano at my house. It's in storage...part of the reason I haven't played in so long. I've been practicing on the one at the church. I'd actually like to get rid of my old one, a new digital would be to die for......

Slick, I still don't keep my wrists up. Never got whapped for it, just reprimanded.

Kim, never too early to get the wee one a keyboard. It just depends on whether or not you want to listen to the pounding.

[taurusmoon]

Yay Lynn! Good for you.

I have so many untapped or atrophied childhood talents that I could write a book about it. Except for the fact that writing would be one of them.

A friend of mine asked me to draw a picture a few days ago and I could barely remember how to hold the pen.

And, don't even get me started on music. Oy. It's too painful to think about. But, not quite as painful as it is to listen to during the brief, sporadic stints when I try to rekindle the old spark.

[ms_n]

I just went home for a visit and remembered my teacher's name. Mrs. Tucker. A fond thing I remember about going to lessons is passing by the begonia farm, replaced by an abandoned K-Mart building, and seeing all the bright rows of color. The worst memory I have is that of my teacher's poodle -- claws clacking against the floor and the warm scent of stale dog breath. The dog would sometimes sit in her lap while she instructed me. A kind woman who loved music with a passion, my piano teacher took interest in what I did even after quitting lessons. She was disappointed when I did not invite her to high school baccalaureate services in which I had performed. I am an okay player, but, like my singing, I have a tendency to turn everything into a ballad.

[lynnzop[$]]

MRS. LIEVENSEE!!!!!

I was just about to give up and call my mom (this has been driving me nuts all day ) when I remembered. Now how could I forget that name ("leave and see what happens" is what she'd always say )

Found a google record of her back to 2000. Found a contact for her son (who was a couple of years older than I am), he's a top-basketball coach...not surprising.

Anyway, I practiced again tonite for about an hour. The funny thing is, I'm enjoying it. Even though my shoulders ache from playing, it's fun.

Go figure. Mom was right. I do thank her for forcing me to take lessons now that I'm a grown up.

[theworm[$]]

I know my piano teacher's name, and he may no longer be alive, but since I revealed him as a lech, I can't reveal his name publically.
I will say that his first name was Sigmund.

[lynnzop[$]]

Freud????