• Noah Adams' "Piano Lessons" (to Audrey and Transwo)

    From jgoldsteinfolksinging@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 23 07:13:16 2017
    I just turned 76. Several months ago I began piano lessons. I love practicing and would do it all day long if possible. At the age of 9, I begged my parents for a piano. They had a man come to the house to test our " musical ability". All I remember is
    that that I got 9 out of 10 correct.

    My father was tight with money. My mother said, "You'll probably be like all the other kids who quit after 6 months." What does a child respond ? We went looking at old uprights that cost $50. They were willing to put one of these in our basement but it
    was too big to turn the corners in our small house.

    Through the years, I memorized the lyrics to every Broadway musical, got a ukulele, traded it for a classical guitar and taught myself chords...became a folksinger. At age 19, after completing a piano class as a Sophomore at university, there was a piano
    sale at Hudson's, our local large department store in Detroit. I got my piano...and a teacher...With a full time college load, a full time boyfriend, sorority (where I directed the Pan-Hell Singing skits), I was able to squeeze in 10 lessons that first
    year. I quit.

    My piano came with me when I married in 1968. I taught early elementary until our daughter was born in 1971. She took lessons for about 5 years, was a quick study but not interested in practicing. I wish I had given our son piano lessons also, but the
    trumpet seemed like a more "social" choice at the time because he could play in the school band. The poor kid suffered through braces on his teeth and hated every minute.

    Meanwhile, I played guitar and sang...Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary...until the age of forty when I discovered Yiddish Folk Songs. I fell in love...taught myself using cassette tapes and was helped by my Bubbie (grandmother) with pronunciation. Then
    came Hebrew songs...Russian also and I started volunteering at our local Jewish Old Folks Home. By 1985, people began offering me money to entertain at parties, Jewish cultural events, etc. and I found myself with a second career as a professional Ethnic
    Folksinger. I traveled all over North America and to Israel. I did this until 1994 when my husband died of Acute Promylocytic Leukemia, a victim of the Benzine used in his father's dry cleaning plant. I had no choice but to return to teaching.

    During all these years I cannot remember longing for the piano. It was obvious that music was essential for my wellbeing and I had found ways to compensate. Seven years ago, I made Aliyah to Israel and my piano came with me. A year ago, I joined a choir
    and was surrounded by people sight reading music. How envious I was! It was not until this past September that the light bulb went off in my head. I found a fabulous teacher and am finally on my way...I will have to live to a very old age if I am to
    become accomplished. This reminds me to recommend the 2014 Oscar winning documentary, The Lady in Number 6.

    So happy playing to you all. If anyone is interested in making contact, I can be reached at jgoldsteinfolksinging@gmail.com
    Blessings from Rehovot, Israel

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From jgoldsteinfolksinging@gmail.com@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 23 07:10:47 2017
    I just turned 76. Several months ago I began piano lessons. I love practicing and would do it all day long if possible. At the age of 9, I begged my parents for a piano. They had a man come to the house to test our " musical ability". All I remember is
    that that I got 9 out of 10 correct.

    My father was tight with money. My mother said, "You'll probably be like all the other kids who quit after 6 months." What does a child respond ? We went looking at old uprights that cost $50. They were willing to put one of these in our basement but it
    was too big to turn the corners in our small house.

    Through the years, I memorized the lyrics to every Broadway musical, got a ukulele, traded it for a classical guitar and taught myself chords...became a folksinger. At age 19, after completing a piano class as a Sophomore at university, there was a piano
    sale at Hudson's, our local large department store in Detroit. I got my piano...and a teacher...With a full time college load, a full time boyfriend, sorority (where I directed the Pan-Hell Singing skits), I was able to squeeze in 10 lessons that first
    year. I quit.

    My piano came with me when I married in 1968. I taught early elementary until our daughter was born in 1971. She took lessons for about 5 years, was a quick study but not interested in practicing. I wish I had given our son piano lessons also, but the
    trumpet seemed like a more "social" choice at the time because he could play in the school band. The poor kid suffered through braces on his teeth and hated every minute.

    Meanwhile, I played guitar and sang...Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul and Mary...until the age of forty when I discovered Yiddish Folk Songs. I fell in love...taught myself using cassette tapes and was helped by my Bubbie (grandmother) with pronunciation. Then
    came Hebrew songs...Russian also and I started volunteering at our local Jewish Old Folks Home. By 1985, people began offering me money to entertain at parties, Jewish cultural events, etc. and I found myself with a second career as a professional Ethnic
    Folksinger. I traveled all over North America and to Israel. I did this until 1994 when my husband died of Acute Promylocytic Leukemia, a victim of the Benzine used in his father's dry cleaning plant. I had no choice but to return to teaching.

    During all these years I cannot remember longing for the piano. It was obvious that music was essential for my wellbeing and I had found ways to compensate. Seven years ago, I made Aliyah to Israel and my piano came with me. A year ago, I joined a choir
    and was surrounded by people sight reading music. How envious I was! It was not until this past September that the light bulb went off in my head. I found a fabulous teacher and am finally on my way...I will have to live to a very old age if I am to
    become accomplished. This reminds me to recommend the 2014 Oscar winning documentary, The Lady in Number 6.

    So happy playing to you all. If anyone is interested in making contact, I can be reached at jgoldsteinfolksinging@gmail.com
    Blessings from Rehovot, Israel

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)