Monday, May 19, 2014

My first piano teacher George Assemany, was the organist at the catholic church where I attended grade school.  I grew up in Northwest Detroit, and went to Christ the King Grade School.  The school is one of two Detroit Catholic Schools that is still open to this day.  He had been the organist at my mother's church growing up, so my mom had known this man for many years.  He was an exceptional organist and could sing almost anything in Latin.  Mr.Assemany would take his pointer stick and put it under your wrists to hold them up.  I don't think his technique was very effective, but nonetheless, that was his focus.  If you played a piece flawlessly, you got a large gold star.  If you didn't play it flawlessly, he would write in large cursive what you were doing incorrectly.

As years passed, I learned that he scared some of my other classmates away from the piano.  But for me, even the things that bothered me about him, didn't deter me from loving the piano.  Nothing ever stopped me from loving the piano nothing.  I dreamed even as a six, seven and eight year old, that I would own a 6 foot black grand piano.  Yes, that was basically my dream.

I think my mom who was musical in her own right, but not a pianist, knew that another teacher might be better for me.  But nevertheless, Mr. Assemany taught me the notes, the staff, the clefs and basic rhythm and for that I am eternally grateful.


10000hours88keys

I was listening to npr one morning when the voice speaking indicated that to become an expert at anything you had to spend 10,000 hours to develop your expertise.   As I was drinking my morning coffee I found myself in my living room looking at my 6 foot black Baldwin grand piano, and thinking I could be a better pianist if I tried to play for 10,000 hours. Hence this blog.  The blog will focus on playing the piano as an amateur.........how I try to play better, what pieces are giving me difficulty, the measures of music that try my patience, pianists I admire,CDs I listen to, and what brings me back to the piano every day of my life!!
Sixty Minutes had a story last night on children in either central or south america playing instruments made from re cycled trash.  It was amazing.   The children, and their orchestra will be the subject of a documentary to air in the fall (in the United States) called the Recyclers.  Instruments were made from oven tins, coins, tin cans.  Instruments were mainly string instruments, but I wouldn't be surprised if a piano was eventually attempted.  It proves what I have always believed, that music cannot be stopped.  Check out the news piece on CBS Sixty Minutes.