Piano Lessons

Monkey had been asking for piano lessons for quite a long time, and when we started this “Academic Year,” I decided to investigate the options.  Ms. Marsha, who leads the K-1 Singers group at our church, that Monkey has been involved with, and she also organizes the singing at the nursing home we do every other week, is also a piano teacher.  She offered us the option of coming over for a practice lesson so we could see what the process would involve.

Monkey loved the sample lesson, and has had several piano lessons now.  I suspect she loves the music piece of things, but also loves the individual attention from Ms. Marsha, whom Monkey called “A Musical Genius.”  Ms. Marsha teaches in a very individualized, active fashion. Monkey not only plays the piano, but she also gets to play all sorts of children’s instruments, including a thunder maker, which all three kids got to try out last week.  Ms. Marsh has her composing music already, as well as giving Monkey the opportunity to show off her skills for the other kids and me.

Here are two comments from Ms. Marsha about Monkey and why she enjoys teaching her:

Jennie, I have never heard a child speak so eloquently and soulfully about music–It is truly my pleasure to be able to teach and work with (Monkey.)  I’m certainly looking forward to it!

and

It is such a joy working with (Monkey)–Today, as she played the “duet” with the CD (the one you heard) on the black keys, she mentioned that it sounded like Chinese music–That is true, since the pentatonic scale that the black keys form is often heard in Eastern music.  Every student doesn’t hear that.  I love her creative and fun-loving spirit. I hope she is enjoying playing the piano at home.

Here are some photos from the Solo Concert Monkey gave at her last piano lesson for the two youngest and me.

Unlike Friend Erin who tries to be very balanced about her children on her blog, not me.  I look forward to recording all the amazing wonderful things about our kids over the years, so when they read back over this blog when they are grown, they’ll be able to see all the fantastic things people said about them, and how much joy Buds and I took in them and their individuality.