From the Keyboard

We all see the same sight as we attend a concert of any kind. Sitting among the few or the many with a focused amusement to the entertainment at hand. For the pianist it is a simple stage setup, somewhat bare, maybe lonely. Is it the view we wish to admire as the spectator? Maybe the sound is what we have desired for as we entered the hall. For whatever reason we have decided to attend, it is easy to look down to the stage and appreciate the beauty we hear. Now, imagine the perspective of the pianist. The focus is reversed from almost every other situation life provides. We are now facing a widening scape with hundreds, maybe thousands, of people peering right to you. Each person brings emotion to your stage and with their simple gaze we are surrounded by the presence of each individuals dramatic attention given by their silence.

Piano lessons bring more to the table than learning the A, B, C's of music. As a pianist, the perspective of

the mind changes. To read music is more than making sound that can be described as "pretty" or "fun". A pianist interprets dots and lines on a canvas and is expected to interpret them correctly as well as translate them to sound in a manner that allows others to understand. On top of the translating, a pianist must control the interpretations with emotions that don't get in the way, but also help the audience to feel what is happening as they observe the simple stage setting. Every child learning to play the piano, or any instrument, is gaining life experience on levels adults may not even comprehend. Why does a certain song make you nostalgic? What is it about the pulsing sound that creates a thrill in a horror movie? Sure, we can say its "because it just sounds that way" or we can realize that a composer hieroglyphed (probably not a word) his thoughts to the page. Then, a musician decided to take the dots and lines, among other shapes, and interpret it into sound. They do this according to their education to ensure the sound is emotive and personable to anyone that listens.

Kids who play the piano are able to shift perspectives. They learn what it is to feel sad and happy and how to properly express so that others may understand. Pianists learn to use their understanding of life to shape the sound they give to others. As a pianist I hope that those who listen will hear the emotions I give and can hopefully connect to their own life. Young pianists are learning to live. They learn to become something great from the simplest shape on the page.