Madonna Moffat

In 1965, I switched from my local church organist as my piano teacher to a local teacher, that my mother had heard about through her girlfriend grapevine.  Madonna Moffat!.  She recently died at about 94, which was a similar age to that of my favorite high school piano teacher Katherine Lemon.  I am beginning to think that playing music has a link with longevity.

Madonna Moffat was incredibly interesting.  She was very "artsy" and lived in a beautiful old home in the Rosedale Park section of Northwest Detroit.  My lessons were on Saturday and she would often answer the door dressed in a flowing caftan.  She would lead me into her living room where there was this incredible white grand piano.  It was the kind of piano that Shirley Temple tapped danced on in the movie Curly Top.  Of course, that was the first time in my life that I decided I would get a grand piano, somehow or someway.  I didn't get one until about 2002, but at the time, I determined that having a grand piano was going to be a goal.

I wasn't sure how credentialed Mrs. Moffat was with respect to the piano.  I knew she played it, but I don't think she actually had a formal music degree.  It didn't matter because they way she taught brought music to life for me.  She had an agenda of music that I had to learn, but she also let me bring music of my own choosing to my lesson that I wanted to work on during that school year.  I think that is a hallmark of a good teacher.  Though he or she may have an idea about the pieces you need to or should learn, a teacher who lets you bring music you want to learn makes all the difference.

Though I had John W. Schwaum books in the past, Mrs. Moffat was focused on a lesson plan of music through the Art Publication Society of St. Louis, Missouri.  It was a series of exercises and pieces that progressed you to what would be considered an intermediate level.  The actual core of lesson materials was referred to as the Progressive Series of Piano Lessons.  There was also a series of theory lessons, and Mrs. Moffat would have us meet as a group about one Saturday a month to go over the theory lessons.  To my great regret, I never took that piece seriously, I just wanted to play, imitate pianists I had heard.  I didn't take time to understand the intricacies of the music behind the notes.  Consequently, I am still struggling with music theory even to this day.

I saved the whole Art Publication Society series, and had the opportunity to look at it yesterday.  There was some information that is still applicable today.  One of the sheets discussed positioning at your piano to prevent injury.  That is so important, and is addressed fully today, but back in 1965 it was not touched upon very much.  Each of the pieces I worked on had a short biographical sketch regarding the composer and fairly detailed information about dynamics, metronome markings and rhythm.  One of the pieces even discussed the concept of music education versus imitation of the teacher.  Is there true understanding of the initiative that is required to have a musical education or is one just engaging in mechanical mimicry of the teacher.  Sometimes, when I am playing I resort to just mimicing what the teacher or performer is doing.  However, to be a good pianist, one has to get beyond just learning the notes and understand the tempo, the dynamics and the themes, to play a work with true musicality.  That is a continuing peak to climb, as one practices over and over.

Mrs. Moffat was sort of flamboyant, and very outgoing.  She wanted you to perform.  When you arrived at your lesson, she would open the door, singing Good morning Rosemary, as if it was an operatic aria.  She was a great opera lover and was involved with the Michigan Opera Theatre.  So, instead of yearly piano recitals, she would hold these little receptions, where each of her students would get up and play a song for the other students.  I don't remember parents being invited.  So, it was in reality, a chance for you to play for your peers.  The response was usually upbeat and I don't recall anyone booing.  There would also be pop and cookies at the end.  Coming from a family where pop was a once a week thing this was a highlight.  As time wore on Mrs. Moffat would let various students host these events.  I know we hosted it at least once.  I had one motive in mind for that, I had a major 10 year old crush on a 8th grade student Rollie Barrett who had the piano lesson before me.  He was very confident at the keyboard, and was always working on something that had more of a Dave Brubeck kind of feel.  So I determined that if I hosted one of these piano soirees, I could get Rollie to my house.

I also add that I think I always had the idea, that Mr. Right, whoever he was going to be had to be musical.  That wish did come true, and I will have more about that one later.

I do think that even if it is challenging for a piano teacher, performance should be part of a student's musical education.  Perhaps the once a year piano recital where students are on pins and needles is not the correct approach.  Perhaps the way to go, is to have a small group get together and simply play whatever they are working on that sounds the best at the time.

Madonna Moffat!  She brought so much to the musical table.  Even if she wasn't a conservatory trained musician, she was committed to the ideal that playing the piano should be something to keep doing, even as an adult.  She saw what music could do in one's life and she shared it with her students.  She made a great musical difference!!