My First Piano Lesson

My first piano teacher scared me to death, and it all started with my first lesson. When I got to my teacher's house, I wanted to make a good first impression.

As we sat down in front of the piano, she said, "Play something you already know."

Immediately, my mind began racing, trying to think of what song would impress her most. Should I wow her with "Mary Had a Little Lamb?" Would she rather hear "Hot Crossed Buns" or should I just pick that song where you make a fist and play only on the black keys?

Finally, I settled on "Chopsticks" because it required both hands. So, I stuck out my index fingers on each hand and placed them on the starting notes. Before I could start playing, a hand flew into my vision and slapped my fingers. At the same time, I heard my piano teacher say, "No! You should always play with ALL your fingers on the keys!"

Ironically, I really liked her as my piano teacher. She motivated me like none other to practice and try to get better. Maybe it was because I was always worried the next step would be to get out the whip.