Will Collins sent an e-mail from Las Vegas.  I thought everyone who reads this blog would be interested so I pasted it in as a post.  Does anyone here remember him from RC school days?  Have you seen him perform in Vegas?mlt

Greetings from the great desert southwest!

Will Collins

Hair raising idea

 

 

 

My student Christina arrived for her piano lesson as the character Pippa Longstocking.  The hairdo seems to express May mayhem.

This week I received several calls from frantic parents cancelling piano lessons because of dance rehearsals.  “Not to worry,” I laughed. ” I always assume that children will miss lessons just before dance recitals.”

Juggling the schedule of regular lessons, sports events and school activities is tough enough.  When you add the pressure of PERFORMANCE, the camel’s back is broken!  That’s why I have a long-held policy of  lais-sez-faire when May hits.

In a few weeks we’ll add the graduations, confirmations, showers and open houses.  I just ask that you keep practicing on a regular basis.  A good suggestion is to practice the piano on any day that you eat.

My dilemma is how to attend all the events.  This Saturday I would like to see the Candyland dance recital (but I missed last week’s Cindella - whoops).  There is also a chamber music presentation for the Symphony League that sounds like so much fun. Then again, I’ll probably be lying in a heap after a day of gardening.

In a few weeks all this will be a memory and we’ll be setting up the summer schedule.  Just keep breathing.

THANK YOU for all the comments and suggestions.  The latest stats show that this blog in Number 19 in the lineup (I guess there are about 40-50 regular bloggers with the staff and volunteers like me).  Anyway, they like us.  Be sure to send your ideas, questions and comments by using the comment box below.  OR, you can contact me at marietesch@rap.midco.net.

Thanks for stopping by. mlt

Marie at Jessica's recital

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a music recital at Black Hills State University.  Junior Jessica Finch was playing and I nearly “busted my buttons” with pride since she had been my student from start to finish in Rapid City.   I like to think that she got a good basic “grounding” with me and Dr. Janeen Larson has put on the finishing touches. Jess has become a powerful, confident player and grown into a lovely young woman.

Her family sent the photo above and I thought I’d share it with you.  This is what a REAL piano teacher looks like after a day of volunteering at a rummage sale, teaching a few lessons, walking the dogs and then jumping into the car to motor up to Spearfish for a concert (I was late, or course).

It’s a plain picture and I am just a plain piano teacher.   I think you can tell that I am happiest when sitting at a keyboard with a few folks to entertain….lots of chatter, a bit of playing.  Many of you only see me at recitals and concerts when I fling on a posh frock and spend some time at the vanity table.  Well, here is the real thing: my dressy jeans, sensible shoes and a jacket sewn by my sister Loey.  Any makeup I put on at 6 a.m. is long gone, but I am wearing a pair of simple earrings.

The following weekend I had occasion to volunteer some time at the ivories and by Sunday evening (when I attended the Pierce Emata recital) several people greeted me with the salutation, “Hello, Piano Lady”.  Boy, that made me feel good.

I have decided to change the name of this blog to PIANO LADY.  It fits.  Besides, the editor teased me about the excessive alliteration in the title, Piano Polish.  AND, my niece thought I was writing about people from Poland.  Whoops!

PLEASE NOTE:  Piano PALS will meet this Saturday, May 2, at 3:30 p.m. at the Black Hills Piano Gallery.  Bring your music and a cheerful attitude of “let’s try it once”.

Thanks for stopping by.  Your comments make the folks at the RCJ happy to keep me rolling.  So let me know what you’d like to read about. mlt