Piano Recital 2019

We had our final piano recital this week.  We are sad to be losing our beloved piano teacher, but I couldn't be happier for lessons to be ending.  It was a daily slog to get them to practice.  And just in case they ever come back at me and say, "I wish you would have made me stick with it!" I just couldn't force it any longer.  We had  good run!  They learned a lot.  And if they decide (like I have) to come back to it later in life, they have a solid foundation.  I will keep playing!  It is one of my 19 for 2019 to finish the adult beginner book.  I am well on my way.  It brings me joy to play.  It doesn't bring me joy to force them to play.

Anyway, it was also good to finish with a pretty good showing!   Ben and I worked really hard on his song.  I decided to just get up 15 minutes earlier and work is practices into my morning routine as his page turner, cheerleader, and mentor to make sure he really learned his song.  And he did.  It was long, but he loved it.  "A Million Dreams" from The Greatest Showman.
I was really proud of him.  It was fun to work together most days.  The hardest was actually once we had it mostly down and needed to do some cleaning up.  He got a little resistant to these efforts.


Sarah continued her usual--play it once and call it good.  So her piece never got super smooth.  But it was pretty hard.  So I was proud of how well she did considering her practice routines.  She is super good about getting up early and walking.  But then she disappears into her room to read and doesn't make it back to the piano most days.  So I have to hound, remind, etc.  And I just couldn't do it.  It turns out that if you don't practice, you don't get better.  Sigh. She wanted to do something from the original Mary Poppins, so "Jolly Holiday" ended up being her pick.


I haven't actually been taking lessons, but I have been practicing a few times a week most weeks.  I bought a fun song to learn for the recital, but I abandoned it when I just didn't have enough time.  Instead I played "Sweet Hour of Prayer." I had Derek and the girls sing.  They sounded awesome.  My playing was 95% awesome.  I messed up in the same place I messed up on in all of the practices where they sang.  I could nail it with no one singing.  A little harder when people sing with you.  More pressure!  But it is a beautiful hymn, and the message so rich.  I'm glad they sang.  I got teary introducing my song...thinking about the blessing it is to have my awesome family, and having Laurie as a friend, client and teacher.  I'm really going to miss her! I forgot to get someone to film this performance, so you can just imagine that it was amazing.