Piano Lessons

If May is the month we love because of the endless parade of holidays; June is the month we dread as it seems to last forever. The school term doesn't end until early July, so June represents exams, evaluations, and the sun rising at 4:30am, setting at 10:30. (Trying to get some shut-eye is a challenge!) So, we imagine all American children happily riding their bikes, climbing trees, swimming in the pond, while we trudge off to school and work; the Grandes Vacances being a barely discernible haze in the distance.

Did I mention evaluations? Will had a piano evaluation last Sunday morning (!) which was Mother's Day (!) playing a piece by Debussy (!). Due to church commitments we missed hearing him, but rushed to the school to hear the comments. What happens is that 6 to 7 students in his group are all called in before the 4 person jury (parents stand around awkwardly) and each student steps forward to have their musical faults pointed out to them. (The parents look at their feet, the ceiling, anywhere, praying that their kid won't get as humiliated as that poor kid getting a public flogging) Will, always positive and optimistic had no fear as he stepped before the jury. Pointing at his feet which were adorned with his favorite African market flip-flops, she said that you must always wear proper shoes--especially when using the pedal--especially when playing a very fragile pastorale Debussy piece. (otherwise he did well) Hubby and I swallowed our giggles as our son smiled sheepishly. Evidently his shoes flipped, flopped, slapped and slid all over "The Shepherd". Afterwards we patted him on the back. At least the lesson was an easy one to apply. Now he has been invited to play the same piece on a grand piano for the "fete de la musique June 21. Lesson learned.