Hannah has been taking piano lessons with Miss Maria for about two and a half years, and Sydney has been taking lessons for a year. Miss Maria is a strict piano teacher from the Ukraine. She is serious and she is a great teacher, with a bit of an accent (most of her vowels are pronounced as "i" - Nathan attended a lesson with Sydney when Miss Maria was showing Sydney how to play a song on "Two Blick Keys" - whenever I mention Miss Maria to Nathan he copies her in a high voice - "Seednee, two blick keys.") Sorry Miss Maria.
When Hannah first started lessons she loved Miss Maria, but her attitude about piano lessons has been going down hill for about the last 6 months. A bad attitude is more contagious than Chicken Pox, and it has spread to Sydney. Bribery worked this summer, but Armadillo's Ice Cream lost its magic when school started.
Recently Miss Maria called to let me know that Sydney was unwilling to play for her during her lesson time, and she asked if I could come and observe the next week (wick.) When I took violin lessons my mom always had to stay and take notes, but that is not something that Miss Maria has asked me to do. For the last couple of years I have spent the lesson time at the library or running errands or getting ice cream, but I have really enjoyed attending piano lessons for the last few weeks.
Being in the lessons is kind of like spying. I am much more aware of what the girls are supposed to be working on. Many days when they practice they just fly through their songs without concentrating on the bits that need a little extra polishing. But now I know that Hannah needs to work on her posture and that Sydney should be playing a scale every day just so. I'm not sure if the girls think this is a good thing, but I have enjoyed it!
Hannah and Sydney both seem to be enjoying piano lessons more lately, since I started going with them. Hannah is a little less sullen, and Sydney says Miss Maria is nicer when I am there. I think that is a good start. We will miss Miss Maria, but when we move I am hoping to find a piano teacher that Hannah and Sydney can really connect with - I think that will be the difference between them quitting and excelling.
I remember having a violin teacher I hated (she had scary facial hair.) That's pretty much when I stopped playing. I don't want that to happen yet to Hannah.
Those pictures are from the Halloween Recital. The girls played beautifully spookily!
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Today's Run 3 miles. 53 miles to go.
7 comments:
Yeah for the girls playing piano! A skill that will serve them their whole lives.
Hey, remember when you fainted during summer violin lessons at Ms. Peggy's house? Mom took you to a doctor and LEFT me there all alone! It was the scariest thing I had ever seen to watch you faint and I thought the teacher had somehow caused it, so I couldn't look her in the eye the rest of the lesson.
I too didn't like the hairy violin lady living in the dome house in HR. I did lessons there for a little longer than you - I even drove myself to several, but leaving our wonderful teachers in California really ended my violin career (that and not practicing much).
How fun for your girls. Miss Maria is definitely an interesting lady. Will they still take lessons in Hawaii or will surfing take priority? lol
mary, how scary for you to see your sister faint and then be left alone.
hairy violin lady LOL
Your girls look so sweet! What a great opportunity for them to have piano lessons. Mary is right, it will serve them their whole lives.
It reminds me of my own piano lessons days long ago! Having the right teachers makes all of the difference. My piano teacher was a neighbor and family friend. I ended up taking lessons for 7 years.
Fun times! :)
yeah for piano lessons. I torture all my kids with music lessons. Everyone has eventually quit, so far. But I still think it's a good thing.
Yuo are a very good writer, I enjoy your blog.
Your girls are beautiful!
Fashionista has been taking lessons for a 1 1/2 years, it has gone downhill slowly but steadily, to the point to where last concert she admitted to herself how bad she sounded playing. "It's all practice" I said.
Because I'm wise like that.
Good for you showing your girls how important those lessons are. They'll appreciate them in the future.
You fainted at Ms Peggy's? And then your poor sister stayed there trying no get fainted also? LOL.
PS. Surfing lessons in the horizon?
Mary, I may have held my breath until I passed out just to get out of that place, Ms Peggy was scary. (I didn't really hold my breath, but I do remember feeling a little relieved when I go to leave early)
Amanda, I forgot that you took lessons from Miss Maria, too. Don't tell Hannah that you were allowed to quit.
Suzanne - did you hate taking lessons or did you love it? Are you stuck playing the piano in Primary for the rest of your life?
Txmom - Thanks, I like your blog too. Answering all of these is getting silly, why am I doing it?
NCS - I get to take surfing lessons, the kids have to stick with the piano!
To answer your questions, I loved taking piano, but that was literally the only extra curricular activity I got to do. No sports, dance, art, etc...
My crush from age 11-15 was also in that piano group and that kept me motivated to stay! ;) J.K. I wasn't always excited about practicing, but I loved the challenge of learning something really hard. I loved piano, loved the teacher, loved the boy. It was all good! :)
No, I don't play the piano for church. I don't let anyone at church know I can play the piano. Until I have my own piano at home and can practice, I'd rather not play in front of others. If there is a dire need for a piano player at church, I'll do it, but it's never come up. I guess a lot of other people know how to play too.
Ahh...a piano. I'll get one "someday."
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