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Pastimes : Don't Ask Rambi -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Justin C who wrote (63022)	10/10/2002 1:45:32 PM
From: Justin C	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 71178

my first and final piano recital Thought I would commandeer DAR and talk to myself today. Speaking of piano recitals, as I was mere weeks ago, the writer of the guest column in last Sunday's paper related her long-ago childhood experiences with taking piano lessons. Some excerpts .... From the age of 9, when I observed my 13-year-old neighbor Janet sitting at her piano playing popular songs, I wanted to take piano lessons. One problem stood between a concert career and me -- no piano. My opportunity finally came at age 13, when my dad surprised me with an out-of-tune upright piano with yellowed, real ivory keys and a twist-up piano stool. Soon, I began making weekly treks to Mrs. Marvel Kent's house for lessons at the exorbitant price of $1.50 for 30 minutes. I made rapid progress. However, your interpretation of that statement depends on whether you like rhythm. Everything from whole notes to eighth notes got the same number of beats. The resulting music made Strauss waltzes sound like Sousa marches. My instruction book became peppered with phrases like "Count out loud" and "You must count out loud!" Mrs. Kent believed in spring and fall recitals where dutiful parents sat crammed in her living room feigning interest in the same songs their children labored over for months at home. She required us to introduce our songs with the much-practiced "I shall play ...." Use of the word "shall" was an ironclad requirement. Once we croaked out our introduction, we bowed stiffly before plopping down nervously on the piano bench. I'm belatedly thankful that my teacher, Mrs. Fields, did the introduction at my recital, saying "Justin will now play Barnyard Frolics". I have no recollection of what happened next except that after I finished, Mrs. Fields gave me an approving nod. Apparently it went okay. Well, I've rather enjoyed this chat with myself. Now I shall move on to something semi-productive.