Linda & Don (Tim's parents) were getting rid of it, about to sell it in a garage sale, when I asked if we could please pretty please have it and she said yes. I can't thank them enough! (THANK YOU AGAIN!!!) And great big thanks to Tim for letting it move in with us. You rock, honey.
It's been years since I had a piano in my house and I couldn't be more excited. Yes, I play...well sort of. I took piano lessons for years, starting in first grade and ending sometime in high school...most of that time under duress (but thanks, Mom and the infinitely patient Mrs. Maher). I was never great, but I could play well enough as long as someone forced me to practice (again, thanks Mom). I even accompanied my junior high and high school and church choirs on a few songs before it was all said and done. One summer in college (the first time, at Trinity) I took private piano lessons from the amazing Andrew Mihalso, who pushed me beyond what I thought my limits were and taught me once again that if I practice, I can play. Which leads me to the conclusion that I have another new year's resolution to add to my list this year: Practice the piano. (OMG! Am I 9?)
[Actually I have two to add to the list because I forgot this one: Get a passport. I know, right?]
I've been sad for years that we didn't have a piano in the house while Jordan was growing up. I wanted my turn to be the mom that forced him to practice and suffered my way though years of torture hearing him sullenly plink and plunk away. I wanted this because I suspected the musical talent that was lurking inside him, that didn't make its way out until he picked up a guitar in the 8th grade. I'm still bummed he didn't get force fed the music theory and foundation that piano lessons would have given him, but I'm so glad he'll have a little time in the house with this piano before he flies the nest. I even have a milk crate full of dusty old piano lesson books collected from my mom, myself, and my little sister Amy (also forced through years of lessons, but fewer years than me because somehow she always got her way better than I did). Come to think of it, Jordan does owe me a makeup piano class (does he EVER). Maybe I'll make him sit through one from me.
My childhood piano, which was my mom's childhood piano first, ended up back at Nana's house and then briefly in storage until it finally settled in Mom & Mario's garage. For the past several years I had been waging a campaign to get that piano; first with my mother, who didn't want to part with it, and then with my husband, who thought it was too unattractive to have in our house. It was just an old console piano and wasn't in the greatest shape, but it was a piano! I finally convinced him I could work it in and we were working on finding movers when we had to move out of our house on Cranston and into this one. After that I had to start over with the convincing, and in the meantime Hurricane Ike came calling and the piano was just one of the many things that sat under five feet of seawater in that garage when the storm surge hit Galveston's West End. I finally had to let it go...no piano for me. Four short months later, my in-laws have a freak fire, a giant garage sale, and there is a baby grand in the corner of my living room. Life is full of surprises!
Besides being excited about playing again and Jordan having the chance to learn to play, I have another reason to be stoked about a baby grand in the house: this place attracts more than its fair share of talented musicians. If you're someone who has enjoyed musical magic here with me, stop and think about the potential ivory ticklers you may get to witness up close and personal. I bet you have the same smile on your face that I do as I'm writing this. Let's hope there are tapers in the house.
When the piano got here on Saturday, I opened the bench to find it full of an odd collection of music, as old piano benches are wont to be. I've said before that I don't believe in meaningless coincidences, yes? Included in the random lesson books and sheet music, most of which looks like it came with the piano when the in-laws bought it, are several things that made me gasp in astonishment. The two that got me the most:
1) Songs for the Shepherd by Keith Green, an amazing collection of beautiful music that was a favorite of my Texas fam for years. We owned this book once but lost it somewhere along the way, maybe in our own piano bench. Amy and Mom, I have a new (old) copy!
2) Mozart's "Ah, vouse dirai-je, Maman" 12 Variations for Piano. Better known as Mozart's 12 variations on the tune to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Best known to me (and Mom!) as the piece that Dr. Mihalso had me learn for my piano recital at the end of that summer at Trinity. Are you freaking KIDDING me?
It is definitely time to practice!
No comments:
Post a Comment