A little girl approaches a creepy old house. She clutches her books as she rings the doorbell.
A voice calls “come in!” and the little girl’s hands tremble as she turns the doorknob and goes inside. Inside, it’s a little dark and there’s a musty smell. The little girl pauses briefly to think about running back outside into the crisp fall air, but instead she takes a deep breath, steels herself, and heads straight for the basement door.
The stairs creak as she makes her way down.
She turns the corner to see an imposing woman with a wart on her nose.
The woman doesn’t smile, she just says…………..
“Go ahead and take out your books. Let’s warm up with A Dozen a Day.”
This true story is brought to you by my mother, who thought her piano teacher was a witch.Â
Naturally, she hated piano, because she was afraid to go to lessons every week!
When she was looking for my first piano teacher, her main criteria (this is also true!) didn’t have to do with price, or experience, or even convenience. Her main criteria were: no creepy basements, and no wart on the nose.
It sounds silly, but what she really wanted was someone I could feel comfortable with. Someone I wouldn’t fear. And when you look at it that way, it’s not silly at all.
So, while I can’t guarantee I won’t get a wart on my nose as I age, I can guarantee this:
I will always welcome students with a warm smile.
I will always give a hug to a child who wants one.
I will always listen to kids, and take their opinions and their concerns seriously.
I will always be an ally to my students.
I will always do whatever I can to make piano lessons a happy and comfortable part of their week, not a stressful or frightening one.
And that’s the happy ending to this spooky story.
-Melissa
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