2007-01-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

I realized that there is a wealth of knowledge, insight, and just plain amusement to be found in the daily conversations I have with my piano students. I always find myself thinking things like, "wasn't that the cutest 'little kid' thing to say?" or "that's the silliest excuse for not practicing I've heard yet!" I'm sure that most of the comments I hear during lessons will mean the most or be the most humerous to me, but perhaps you will enjoy a few of them as well. It's like that TV show Bill Cosby had, Kids say the Darnest Things. They really do, you know. And here's where I'll share a few of those darn things with you.
Gee, I love my job. :)

Note: No actual student names will be posted and some quotes may not be all that funny! Deal with it.

The Latest:

Me: Do you remeber what Forte means?
Student: Yes! I remember!
Me: Great. So, tell me what that means.
Student: Well, I remember, but it's just that I can't find it or get it out if my head right now.

Student: Sorry I was running late today. My little brother had mashed potatoes for lunch.
Me: Mashed Potatoes made you late?
Student: Yes. He got them everywhere- the table, the floor, the walls, his hair- some on me too. It took us a while to clean it up.

I have one particular student who likes to make me think that she can't read notes very well. She also tries to get out of playing any assigned songs. I encourage creativity during parts of the lesson including time for improvisation. One day she came and said that she wanted to play me a song she "wrote". So I listened to the song. This song not only had an interesting atonal melody but also had lyrics: "I am so sad. And I am so sick. So very sick. My mom and Dad are in New York and I'm all alone. So very alone." Truly deep and moving 20th century work, I tell you what.
It was SO very difficult not to laugh. By the way, her parents never went to New York.

Piano Conversations