My mother-in-law, Linda, teaches piano. Every January she holds an After-Christmas Party for her students and their families where the students perform a few Christmas songs. Nothing fancy or truly a recital, just a fun time to socialize, eat lots of holiday food and listen to the kids play.
My sister-in-law Marie and I often help with the set up and stay during the party to help with coffee and punch, and keep the food table stocked. Marie and I have both played piano since early grade school, and while I'm not too shabby, Marie is much better than I. So it never fails that Marie and I are asked to play at the piano parties as well. While that is a great compliment, and I would like to share my favorite pieces, I am always hesitant to play at the piano parties; I'm don't want it to seem like I'm showing off or up-staging the students, and each year I dread being asked to play.
But this year the realization hit me: There is no reason for me to be ashamed or apologetic of my musical ability.
I have been playing piano more than twice as long as most of these kids have been alive (oh God, that makes me feel old), and while I was taking lessons I practiced more diligently than 98% percent of these students do. Don't get me wrong, no orchestra will ever request me to be their concert pianist, nor will I be offered any record deals. But I have worked hard to be able to play as well as I do, and there is nothing wrong with displaying the results of such hard work and dedication. Besides, I have fun playing piano. Perhaps me playing at the piano parties will show the students the results of hard work, and actually practicing.
(Side-note: Why does it seem that today's piano students believe that they should be able to simply sit down at a piano and automatically know how to play? What? Work? Yes, you really do need to practice. Unless your last name is Mozart or Tsung, the presumption that you can just sit down and perfectly sight-read a Rachmaninoff concerto is absurd. And I can guarantee that Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and little Tsung practice.)
(Continuing the tangent: If a student truly does want to learn how to play the piano, then they need to suck it up and practice. If a student is just taking lessons because their parent is making them and they really do not like nor want to play piano, then perhaps it is time for the parent to relent and allow their child to take up another hobby that they do enjoy. Just my honest opinion.)
With all that said, if I am asked to play a piece or two at the After-Christmas Party, I will pull up the bench and have fun playing.
But I have chosen an Christmas song that none of the students are learning! :)
