I recently bought a used piano. It has been nearly twenty years since I owned a piano. I missed the pleasure of sitting down to play, letting my fingers hit the keys while my brain focused on other things.
Lily, my three and a half year old granddaughter, came to visit yesterday, and I asked her if she wanted to see the piano. She said, "No." So I carried her down the hall to show her the piano. She was not interested, suggesting that we read a book. We went back to the living room, sat on the couch, and read several books together.
Later, Lily wandered down the hall back to the piano. She climbed onto the bench, sitting with her feet tucked under her. She announced that she needed paper, which I correctly interpreted as music, as she smiled when I handed her a sheet of notes. She announced, "I'm the gentleman," apparently referring to the emcee who introduces the songs. Her hands moved in flourishes above the keyboard. She pointed to a bar saying, "We'll play this". She then spent a number of minutes moving her hands above the keys. I wondered if she would ever strike a key. When I played a scale, she said, "I can do that!" She didn't, however. Finally, her little fingers struck some tentative notes. I sat nearby, trying not to interfere.
As she became more adventurous, more notes were struck. Frequent breaks were taken, with Lily climbing off the bench, moving around the room, then getting back on the bench and playing. Eventually, as I sang songs I could remember (mainly Christmas carols), Lily accompanied me with confidence. It was a delightful way to spend time with Lily and the piano.
Lily, my three and a half year old granddaughter, came to visit yesterday, and I asked her if she wanted to see the piano. She said, "No." So I carried her down the hall to show her the piano. She was not interested, suggesting that we read a book. We went back to the living room, sat on the couch, and read several books together.
Later, Lily wandered down the hall back to the piano. She climbed onto the bench, sitting with her feet tucked under her. She announced that she needed paper, which I correctly interpreted as music, as she smiled when I handed her a sheet of notes. She announced, "I'm the gentleman," apparently referring to the emcee who introduces the songs. Her hands moved in flourishes above the keyboard. She pointed to a bar saying, "We'll play this". She then spent a number of minutes moving her hands above the keys. I wondered if she would ever strike a key. When I played a scale, she said, "I can do that!" She didn't, however. Finally, her little fingers struck some tentative notes. I sat nearby, trying not to interfere.
As she became more adventurous, more notes were struck. Frequent breaks were taken, with Lily climbing off the bench, moving around the room, then getting back on the bench and playing. Eventually, as I sang songs I could remember (mainly Christmas carols), Lily accompanied me with confidence. It was a delightful way to spend time with Lily and the piano.
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