The boys started taking piano lessons, and listening to them press the piano keys as they play their first, simple piano songs is a beautiful thing. There is music in this usually quiet house, and I love it 🎶
Since they are just starting out on their musical journey, they share an hour’s piano lesson (mainly so they don’t become bored of overwhelmed). As time goes by, if they continue to love it and want more time, they can have individual full hour lessons. We will see, but I was pretty happy the day they asked if they could learn to play the piano, and quickly jumped at the chance to get a piano in our home and get them started.
I took piano lessons as a child, and admit that when no one is around, I still pull out my old sheet music to play songs that were popular in the 90s. Can you believe the songs I loved are two decades old?? Think Peter Cetera, Blessed Union of Souls, and Michael Bolton- hey, that’s still good stuff! I also loved classical music and Broadway shows, and I still have Canon in D major by Pachelbel and Phantom Of The Opera inside my piano bench (pieces I played at piano recitals).
I wasn’t very good about practicing my lessons as a teenager, and had no desire to study piano seriously as a career, but I loved being able to read symbols on a sheet and create beautiful sounds with my hands. Music is a language that anyone can understand, but not everyone can speak. Being able to translate what is on a page to familiar sounds of music that so many love is a wonderful talent. It really is a powerful thing, to be able to conjure up a beautiful, melodious tune anytime their fingers hit the keys, to hear, relax, and feel happy.
And I am soo happy my sons love their lessons. Both are quick learners, and while they also don’t practice daily, they play when they feel a desire too and they enjoy it (and I don’t push it). I want them to love playing the piano and do it because they want to. It’s a gift they will have their whole lives, and should bring them joy… and I’m open to encouraging their learning of any other instruments they are interested in too.
As for me, I’m just happy there is a piano in my home, and they enjoy playing on it. And when they aren’t around, I sneak in a little piano time myself ♥︎ You really never forget how to play.
