PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF

My great-niece Sydney is studying piano under the tutelage of Mrs. Peach, a kind, compassionate teacher whose love for music seems eclipsed only by her love for her students. My family and I attended Sydney's first recital this week at Mrs. Peach's home, an almost-mystical setting brimming with possibility. With the patio as a stage and the yard adorned with lush foliage, we sat under the stars with the hoot of a resident owl keeping time and listened to two dozen musical performances by budding young musicians. Most were children, although there were a few adults, and each family's support was evident as they smiled proudly, captured pictures and video, and even accompanied their children with their own musical instruments. Mrs. Peach commented that over the years her recitals have taken various forms, and she welcomes the dynamic of contemporary musical selections replacing more traditional ones. Children connect with music in different ways, and she fosters all connections and encourages the diversity of expression.

The diversity continued after the recital as we enjoyed a lovely array of finger foods generously provided by families in attendance. Happy, proud children milled about and discussed their performances...

"What made you interested in the dulcimer?"

"Mrs. Peach had one- she has all kinds of different instruments that she lets us try."

"Who suggested that you play that clever duet?"

"I wanted to play with my Dad, and Mrs. Peach helped us."

"You play beautifully... Do you enjoy it?"

"Yeah, music is cool and Mrs. Peach makes it fun."

And in response to my question to Sydney,

"How great that you sang AND played the piano - were you nervous?"

"No, I know if I make a mistake I just stay calm and pick right back up where I left off."

There's the key. Overcoming fear. Not expecting perfection. Mrs. Peach had gentled these newcomers onto the path of their musical journey with lightness and ease. No pressure. Rules only when necessary. Praise for trying.

My piano teacher had a pulled back bun, sensible shoes and a propensity to beat the time of whatever piece I was playing with a ruler or the ever-present metronome. Mistakes required re-starting the entire piece, as the goal was playing it without error. I am sure she was a lovely person, but my experience was hardly inspirational. I have spoken to Mrs. Peach (whose childhood lessons were much like mine) about the freedom she has given her students to create their own interpretation of songs. She characterizes her endeavor as a channeling of their innate talent, and herself as a guide. As she sees a student settling in to a calm oneness with his instrument, she steps aside. The student knows she is never out of reach, but knows more importantly that the musical journey is his own release.

There is a stark contrast between this teacher, whose role is one of midwife to the birth of new musical expression, and a trainer whose mission is to hone a talent into a prodigy. And while her method does not preclude the birth of a prodigy, it would be a birth of the prodigy's own choosing. For her students, she seeks a deeper level of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-esteem. Their path is their own. Their expression is unique.

Can such lessons learned not enhance a child's outlook on life? Through the lens of a caring teacher whose demonstrative affirmation nudges them forward one patient step at a time, each student develops a sense of pride in himself which helps him face the joys and disappointments of life both forewarned and forearmed.

Betty J. Eadie said in "The Ripple Effect,"

"We live and thrive by doing things, by testing our limits, by opening ourselves up to new experiences and challenges, by seeking joy and even happiness as we step out—not in fear or anxiety, but in faith. Faith opens us to new and sometimes wonderfully crazy ideas. Why? Because in faith, we believe that God—in his strength and good grace—will show us when we go too far, and that if we get hurt, he will help us to learn from the experience."

Mrs. Peach shares my belief that God, as each of us perceives Him or Her, is within each of us, and that musical expression is one method of attaining a connection with that divine grace that resides within us all.  The world that awaits these children will be competitive and demanding. I take great comfort in Sydney's musical enjoyment as a healthy preparation for a future filled with exploration and peppered with challenge, defeat and success. She will better handle each if those outcomes knowing the merit of 'staying calm and picking right back up where she left off.'  And in that mantra lies a timeless lesson for us all.