Lessons

Originally Written Between 2013-2015        

I started taking piano lessons when I was eight years’ old.  My mother took lessons as a child and her piano – an upright Stark piano – was in our dining room just waiting for a new student to play those ivories.  My piano teacher, Janice Mitsoff, was a neighbor and she had many students.  Oh, how I loved learning to play.  I would come home from my weekly lesson and immediately start practicing my new lessons.  Janice would reward me with gold stars on each piece in my lesson book.

I advanced from Beginner Book #1 to Advanced books to the “big time” – the classics --  easier versions of Hayden, Mozart, Shubert, and others.  By the time I was ten, I was invited to play for the local “Women’s Study Club.”  They met once a month and invited lawyers, doctors, and other professionals to speak to the group.  They also had entertainment and in September 1954, I was their guest artist.  After I played, they gave me a pretty charm bracelet and I still have it.

At age 10, my teacher decided I was her first pupil she wanted to “audition” to perform in the coveted Minnesota Music Teachers Association Ten-Piano Concerts.  One had to pass the first test by playing the same music as the other candidates…. In order for everyone to be judged equally in categories such as Tone, Technique, Interpretation, and Musicianship, I received a 99 out of 100.  And so, a couple of weeks later, I returned for the second test.  Same music, same categories, but, a different judge.  I received a 98.  Didn’t matter.  

I passed the two tests and now I was officially a member of the Junior A Ten-Piano Concert.  That’s right.  Five grand pianos facing another five grand pianos all on one stage.  We were given a brand new piece of music – a duet.  We had around six weeks to learn our part and to memorize it.  We had one practice on stage with the conductor.  I’m not sure when that happened.  

But then, it was time.  I remember I wore a beautiful yellow dress.  I also remember sitting at my grand piano and while waiting for the conductor to come on stage, looked for my family.  I found them.  My dad, the tallest man in the auditorium, was  sitting so proudly as he watched his first-born daughter on the Northrup Auditorium concert stage.  My mom was there, too, of course.  I guess my mom was quite proud of me because in addition to my brother and sister, my grandma and grandma, two aunts and one uncle were also in the audience.

But, the next year my ten-piano concert career was not to be.  I went to my first test and, although I had memorized the music perfectly, I couldn’t remember a single note.  The judge even offered to let me use my music but I still couldn’t play it.  It was like I had never seen it before.  How embarrassing.

But I did agree to try again the following year and the year after and performed in two more Ten-Piano Concerts.

After that, however, I was entering my teen years.  I told my teacher that I wanted to be able to play the piano at parties and also to play popular music.  My girlfriend, Judy Thurnbeck, took piano lessons from a different teacher and she could just walk into a room and if someone said, “Hey, can you play “Love Me Tender” in the key of C?” Judy could do it.  Heck, she could play it in whatever key anyone wanted!  I wanted to be able to do that.  But, my teacher didn’t teach chords.  One had to learn the note in the key it was written.  And, that’s what I learned.  My teacher also liked the classics and that was the only kind of music I got to play.  Of course I cheated and bought my own popular sheet music but I still had to practice the classics!

I found myself not practicing.  I’d go from lesson to lesson without even opening up my music book.  I also turned 14 and instantly turned into a “boy-crazy teenager.”  Even though I was not able to date until I was 16, that didn’t stop me from flirting with the boys.  I was busy with school, friends, and rollerskating several nights a week and therefore, practicing the piano was just not on my agenda anymore.  

Finally, after several months of practically being a “no-show” at my lessons, my teacher made the decision for me and dropped me as a student.  I was so relieved.  I didn’t want to waste my parents’ money for my lessons.  I didn’t want to let my teacher down.  But, I think my parents and my teacher knew what was happening.  My piano days were done after six years.  It was now time for me to branch out into other challenges and adventures.  I thought I would always go back to playing the piano.  But, I didn’t.  That doesn’t mean that I won’t in the future.  I’m enjoying teaching my grandchildren a little bit and will probably offer to pay for lessons for them.  I still love the piano and all the classics and I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn and enjoy the music!