Blink blink

When I woke up on this fine Saturday, I was utterly caught off guard and completely surprised when I discovered that it is October already. October! I gasped. Like how come no one wakes me up when September ends? 

Well, for a start, this Saturday will be the first that I do not have to attend piano class anymore. After three years under the wing of a wise teacher who coincidentally shares the same first name as me(!), I have graciously told her that I wanted to quit piano. Erm actually, I wasn't brave enough to tell her face-to-face so she learned the news indirectly from the counter staff managing the music centre.

However, I was told that I can't quit cold turkey like that all of a sudden. All procedures must have a one-month advance notice, the counter staff told me. So, for the whole of September, I was taking lessons with the knowledge that I am 'retiring' once the month is over.

To my surprise, my teacher was indeed a true champ- an understanding person. I was quite nervous when I stepped in to see how she would react (after learning the news and all) and all she said was, 'It's too much (to handle) is it?', with this kindest smile on her face. 

I was one of her more memorable students because unlike most of her other students who start learning their musical notes and symbols at a relatively young age, I started fresh when I was 16, mid-way in Form 4. It was embarrassing to start learning up the notes one by one and playing your first song Mary Had A Little Lamb on the piano at my age! But I was motivated to learn because I really liked piano music. 

So three years later, I have closed my chapter by stopping at the Grade 5 level. Why not go further on, you might ask? It is just too tough,  would be my honest answer. Not to mention energy and time-consuming, plus, learning at the higher grades, the fun factor is greatly diminished, it is all about perfection of one very difficult piece rather than playing a variety of classical pieces which are challenging yet still highly entertaining and fun to learn. It is true that they say no pain no gain but the reason I took up piano in the first  place was to learn it as a new hobby and to be able to play piano at leisure at the comfort of my own home. Now that I have achieved a firm understanding of the basics and even sat for exams, I do not wish to go further on. Passion and patience are the only things that is truly important for someone not musically-inclined. Well, you could call me an amateur but I wouldn't mind because I truly am one. 

So then, this would explain why I was really touched and even a little bit shocked (in a good way!) when Teacher offered me a chance. She was going to let me audition for the centre's year-end concert! The audition is set to take place on the 26th (October) although the actual concert details has yet to be announced. I would be playing two duets with my younger brother, who too, jumped on the bandwagon because of me! There is truly nothing more that I can wish for than to exit with a gracious bow!

For all reasons concerned and for myself, I must pull this one off well! Talk about having a last chance to make someone proud! I wasn't going to freak out though, but there would be a panel of judges at the audition to 'filter' the students aspiring to perform. The panel of judges, as nerve-wracking as that sounds, actually only comprises of the various piano teachers of the centre, but only the more mature/knowledgeable and experienced ones. She would be among them, judging.

Albeit the concert would actually just be another small-scaled student's recital, yours truly, the enthusiastic amateur is still all fired up to be given this last opportunity. 

*In conclusion, Curiousplayfan sees piano only as a passionate hobby and not a serious thing (career, performance, exams, etc.) Having learned the traditional way, she does not know how to play by ear.