An Innate Love for the Piano

Hello everyone! Before I was a piano teacher… I was a piano student! With that said, I wanted to share a special memory with you: my very first piano lesson. Before we get to that, you need a little background info. My love of music started very early. I remember watching a PBS program when I was 3 or 4 years old - it was a performance of a piano concerto. I remember standing up and pointing to the TV and telling my mom “I want to play THAT.” “THAT” was a piano. I was completely fascinated by the instrument! My parents had always played classical music for me as a child, but after that, I started listening specifically to music that included the piano. I begged my parents for lessons! But we didn’t have a piano…

My Musical Family

My mom grew up in a very musical family. She and her sisters were a trio, my Aunt Donna played the piano, my Aunt Lani was a gifted soprano, and my mom - who can beautifully harmonize with anyone - was the alto. I hear many fun stories from their childhood! My Aunt Donna was quite an accomplished pianist. She studied piano in college, earned a degree in Music Education, and was an incredible accompanist. As a pianist, she performed works such as George Gershwin’s iconic piano concerto, Rhapsody in Blue. Additionally, she could transpose any piece into any key at first sight… even in the middle of accompanying someone. For example, if a singer/soloist was struggling to stay in tune, she could adjust her playing to match what they were doing. This is extremely difficult to do on the spot and she made it look easy! She actually put herself through college as an accompanist and was sought after by everyone at her university! When I was young, I was so impressed that she could play Fur Elise… in all 12 keys and in any style (jazz, blues, all types of classical, etc). I could also '“hum” a tune and she could play it back for me at a professional level. When I was begging to learn how to play the piano, my mom contacted my Aunt Donna and she gave me her childhood piano! She even had it delivered to our home. She is the reason I was able to start playing the piano. Not to mention a constant inspiration and motivator with my music.

The Piano Arrived!

When the piano was delivered, I couldn’t stop playing it. I think I was 4. I started copying every sound I heard - usually, that of the marching band school anthems from the football games on TV (as my dad enjoyed watching all the games). I LOVED to play the anthems from the University of Michigan, Notre Dame, and Washington State University on the piano, haha. Another one of my favorite hobbies was copying the theme song of the video games my brothers were playing. I remember picking out Top Gun and Super Mario Brothers from our Nintendo gaming system… much to the annoyance of my older brother as I tended to play those themes on the piano while he was playing those games. My mom was also able to give me a basic introduction to the piano and even taught me a few simple holiday pieces from one of her old books. Needless to say, I was just excited to play ANYTHING on this incredible instrument!

My First Piano Teacher

My Aunt Donna helped my parents find my first piano teacher, Maria Sier, in Snohomish, Washington. I STILL remember every single lesson with her. She made such an impact on my life! When I met her for our first piano lesson, I was so excited. I couldn’t stop talking! I remember it being really hard to stay quiet and listen because I was so happy to be there and of course, I had to share that excitement! During that first lesson, I had a basic introduction to the instrument, how to hold my hands, how to sit, etc. I started my musical journey with the Clark method, The Music Tree series. I wanted to play every piece in that first book, The Music Tree, A Time to Begin, right away! After I completed the first three books of the series, I worked through the Suzuki Piano School… being an auditory learner, this was a fabulous method for me! The piano books came with cassette tapes and I’m pretty sure I wore those out!

My Inspiration: The Music of Frederic Chopin

Prior to my first piano lesson, my mom had bought me a cassette tape with only Frederic Chopin's music on it. I think I listened to that cassette tape every day, maybe even twice a day before I met Maria. I was OBSESSED with Chopin from a very young age. So naturally, when Maria asked me what my goals were at the end of our first piano lesson, I said “I would like to play Frederic Chopin’s ‘Revolutionary’ Etude.” Maria looked at me in shock… the piece I wanted to play was advanced and quite complex for a young child to even listen to. I think she told me that if I worked really hard, I could play it someday. Well, I did work hard. By the time I was 10 years old, I was practicing about 2 hours a day and that increased to about 4-5 hours a day as I became more advanced. I was able to play that etude in high school as well as Chopin’s Prelude in B Flat Minor, Opus 28, No .16, and the Prelude in A Flat Major, Opus 28, No. 17. I also played his Scherzo in B Flat Minor, Opus 31, No. 2, his Nocturne in E Flat Major, Opus 55. No. 16, and the lovely Berceuse in D Flat Major, Opus 57 in college (the latter two are not on the cassette tape). After college, I’ve not only continued to learn more of Chopin’s works but have also taught his music. Looking back, I can’t believe how much this cassette tape inspired my playing AND teaching!

My Current Journey as a Piano Teacher in Oregon City

Today, I have an endless list of pieces from a variety of composers that I plan to learn… so here I go on my continuous journey to explore, be creative, and quite frankly pursue my passion. I am incredibly fortunate to not only be able to play the piano but to also teach it and share my joy with students here in Oregon City. Every day, I hope to inspire my students as much as that cassette tape motivated me.

If you’d like to hear the music that inspired me so much, below is a link to my Spotify playlist with the pieces from that cassette tape. Enjoy!

Looking for something specific? Search below to find previous posts including articles, playlists, inspirational quotes and more!

Piano Possibilities Music Studio | Customized Piano Lessons | Oregon City | West Linn | Gladstone

Searching for piano lessons near me? Email me today to schedule your piano lessons in Oregon City!