My Grandparents’ Piano. This was the same piano my Mom used for her first piano lesson. The ivories have been tickled by three generations now.
I used to dread waking up on Saturday mornings because of piano lessons. Beverly Hills Teens would be shown at the same hour as my lessons. The dilemma was: wake up early to watch cartoons or squirm on the piano seat? The answer was simple. In that kiddie of heart mine, I wanted to be a terrific pianist like my Mom. But no matter how much I practiced, all the pieces I played had the rhythm of a very slow staccato.
A very, very slow staccato.
A very, very slow staccato with the frequently misplaced flat or sharp.
It wasn’t a nice way to wake up the household.
I wish I had continued my piano lessons. I was faced with the fact early on though that playing the piano wasn’t meant to be a talent of mine. My fingers were too slow and not flexible. So I took voice lessons instead.
*I did it my way….*
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
paz
January 6, 2006 at 12:39 am (18 years ago)same here, toni. i used to dread piano lessons because my teacher was so strict! she would have a stick wand and tries to use it every time my little fingers were not in their perfect form! plus, all the kids in the neighborhood would be playing patintero and i was stuck with her!
too bad, now i regretted not completing those courses!
Junnie
January 6, 2006 at 1:46 am (18 years ago)i stopped at Grade 2 (Piano levels), i enjoyed it for awhile but the regimen of walking to the school and lining up with all the better students ahead and oftentimes listening behind you was such a pressure for this thin-reed frail kid…i let go of the pressure after 2 years…there was a time that it took me 2 months to move from one piece to another….good thing, Chinese painting and Piano lessons didnt go hand in hand (no pun intended)…so i took the former and goodbye Piano for me…although i can still play – one tune – “Yesterday”…no regrets though for me.
Meeyagirl
January 6, 2006 at 2:09 am (18 years ago)my mom made my siblings and i all take piano lessons. and ballet. and hawaiian. and flute. and tennis. and baking. and voice. and fingermath. and whatever she thought was good extra-curricular, say-no-to-drugs activities. i guess we all felt pressured and overloaded with all these activities (however well-meaning they were) that we learned to detest each and every one of them and never developed beyond the basics. on hindsight, well yes, i would have loved to excel in them all, but i have no regrets. my mom paved the way for us to find out what best interested us: my sister fell in love with cooking, my brother turned out to become a math whiz, my other sister plays the guitar, and i accompany her with my drums. and now the world has turned, i am already thinking that i can’t wait to get my Ninna’s hands on our old piano. and my old tutus. probably a soccer ball. and my nora aunor “pearly shells” cassette tape. hehe. my karma 😀
mare
January 6, 2006 at 2:46 am (18 years ago)I had practice on Saturdays, theory on Wednesdays for 7 years. I can read notes like no other but ask me to play by ear, or even memory at that, and Mama will say she wasted her time and money! Yet, no one else but myself (and the little monsters) touches the piano.
I totally understand the connection, the Grandparents and Mama should be very proud that such a beautiful skill has been passed down to the future generations in your family.
husticia
January 6, 2006 at 6:57 am (18 years ago)i had lessons too and hate ko din kasi it’s the time my friends were out and playing patintero/chinese garter 😆
that’s one of the few things that i want to pursue for myself and have my kids experience too.—the piano.
Toni
January 6, 2006 at 11:14 am (18 years ago)paz: Whew! I’m glad my piano teachers didn’t hit my fingers with a ruler. With the number of mistakes I made back then, I wouldn’t be surprised if I would’ve harbored major scars.
Junnie : Oh yeah, may grades nga pala ang piano playing! I don’t remember what grade I was in when I stopped playing. Hmmm. Chinese painting sounds very interesting! Do you still paint?
Meeyagirl : Oh no! The vicious cycle hahaha! I think it’s important for our kids to experience all those lessons. We should just be wary about our own behavior — encouraging but not pushy! I was fortunate my Mom wasn’t pushy. Subtly pushy lang. Hehehe. Pero okay lang, at least I got to experience piano, ballet, voice and art lessons. Hindi lang ako nag-hula tulad mo! A variety of lessons made me realize what was for me and what wasn’t. Now I like singing (in videokes) and art (with MS Paint). And yeah, those were nice distractions during the summer. I had a better appreciation of sheet music; wouldn’t have had that if I had stuck to watching cartoons! Good luck with Ninna!
mare : Resident pianist in the house! Woohoo that’s you! I really admire people who can play a tune on the piano by just listening to a song or a melody. Widow tawag dun diba? Ang galing. I too can read sheet music. But reading is different from actual playing haha!
justice: It would be great for kids to experience a variety of lessons! Malay natin may magustuhan silang i-pursue nang pangmatagalan.
Linnor
January 6, 2006 at 2:22 pm (18 years ago)I was Junnie’s constant companion during those summers we studied the piano. I hold that time of our lives dearly as it reminds me of how I felt privileged to be sent to piano school and to be able to actually play on our own piano. At that time and up until now, the piano was an expensive piece of instrument, right?
I took my lessons seriously and even bought piano pieces that I memorized. My realization lang is I’m not born with the natural talent to play by ear so I stopped.
Hahaha. Common activity pala for kids ang piano lessons before no? Katuwa…
Toni
January 6, 2006 at 2:46 pm (18 years ago)Linnor: You are so right! We should consider ourselves lucky we were able to take part in piano lessons. We just don’t realize it during our childhood!
BabyPink
January 6, 2006 at 5:17 pm (18 years ago)that’s one of my biggest frustrations in life, never having learned to play the piano.
my parents wanted me to take lessons when i was a kid, but, like any other kid, i wanted to just play or just plain stay in the room. so, i never had lessons. they couldn’t force me. tapos in high school, i just didn’t have time naman. when i’d finally have time, the teacher wouldn’t be available. so, hindi talaga matuloy-tuloy. in college naman, our family friend who gave piano lessons offered to teach me for free pero i was too busy. hanggang sa she passed away na. sad.:(
iya
January 6, 2006 at 5:33 pm (18 years ago)hi cuz!!! aww, i miss that piano at wowo’s and maymee’s house! i miss their WHOLE house! i miss YOU ALL =( pls give everyone a hug for me =)
i regret not continuing my piano lessons too =/ but i guess it’s never too late to start it up again =) too bad your mama isn’t over here to give me a few lessons…
jey
January 6, 2006 at 6:40 pm (18 years ago)my first piano teacher would hit my hand everytime i missed or hit a wrong key. this was back in grade 3!
i’m having my piano tuned up over the weekend. i’ve been neglecting it for years now and it’s time that i take care of it.:)
Toni
January 6, 2006 at 6:46 pm (18 years ago)Diane: Ang sad naman non! Pero alam mo, kung galingnaman sa puso mo ang desire na matutuo, it’s never too late!
iya : Woohoo thanks for dropping by! Yeah among all of us grandkids, only Jennie and Josh (I think) are the ones who can play well. I wish you could come visit too! Let’s try to play a duet on that trusty ol’ piano. Chopsticks? 😀
jey: That’s wonderful you still care for your piano! IT’s important to maintain it. Grabe pinapalo yun hands mo?
I think if my teacher had hit my hands I would’ve stopped piano lessons earlier on. No to physical violence! Child abuse! Hehe.
sha
January 6, 2006 at 7:26 pm (18 years ago)ah glad you are back.. saan ba ako? hehe
We could not afford piano lessons and even my mother did we didnt own a piano
so my greatest joy was spending time with the family of the town’s piano teacher. just listening to the tingles of the ivory made my day wonderful.
Toni
January 6, 2006 at 7:42 pm (18 years ago)sha: That’s a beautiful memory, sha! Yes, I am back. Nag-bakasyon din ako nung Christmas vacation 😀
dexie
January 6, 2006 at 9:24 pm (18 years ago)i wished I had piano lessons too. but my parents could only afford 1 activity for me which was dancing. i was thinking of signing up my son once our finances are settled.
toni
January 7, 2006 at 10:52 am (18 years ago)dexie: Say, you do like a dancer!
Good luck with your son and his future piano lessons. It’d be great exposure for him!
iya
January 8, 2006 at 2:11 pm (18 years ago)hehe, ok, chopsticks it is! it’s a piano date =) hopefully we can to play soon!
Toni
January 9, 2006 at 6:43 am (18 years ago)iya: *crosses fingers*
jey
January 9, 2006 at 6:15 pm (18 years ago)when i told my mom about that incident, she had to transfer us to a new teacher who taught me and my sis piano lessons until i was 15 years old.
i really miss playing kaya pinaayos ko yung piano. the keyboards is nothing compared to it.:)
Toni
January 9, 2006 at 10:33 pm (18 years ago)jey: oo naman, iba ang keyboards! napaka-electric na kasi ng dating nun eh. mas classic pa rin ang piano-playing!