“Music can have a powerful effect on our emotions and create a lasting impact.”
I have been asked to describe an experience when I got lost in a single piece of music, and what made it so unforgettable. What I am about to describe is not what you expected, but here goes.
In my young days I would have dearly loved to learn to play the piano. The opportunity never arose.
Later on, in my late life parenthood, Bernadette and I went to the Benalla Show and encountered an Organ retailer. At this stage in our life we had four children and were soon convinced that it would be a good idea to involve them in music. It didn’t take the organ retailer long to convince us that his “easy to play” organ would be just the thing. So $1200 lighter we took delivery.
The two boys, being approximately aged 10 and 12 at this stage, showed enthusiasm so we arranged with a music teacher, Mrs.Schulz, to tutor them. I would take them down to her McIvor Street home of an evening to get their lessons. I told her of my earlier desire to learn to play the piano and she convinced me that she could teach me to play the organ. So,…at age 50 years…I commenced lessons.
The three of us would go, weekly, for lessons, and …….for a 50 year old…….I slowly learned my chords. Nowhere near as easy as the man at the show ground had told us, so I struggled on.. Our eldest son Anthony took to learning, but to Peter it was a chore.
Mrs Schulz moved house to a farm a number of kilometres out on the Yarrawonga Road. So we would travel of a Tuesday evening out to her farm. She had a number of students and at years end she arranged for all her students , with their parents in attendance, to give a recital. This applied also to the “old stager” …me!
The children all played to the delight of their parents, showing their talent….Then it was my turn!
After two years I had learned a number of elementary tunes and Mrs.Schulz had fine tuned me for my performance and so, apprehensively, I commenced to play… Then the worst possible thing happened! All of my fingers became thumbs! Consequently I gave the worst performance of my life. The parents, good naturedly applauded me……but I knew!.... I was no musician.
Here was my experience with a single piece of music. What made it so unforgettable?
In real life I am not a quitter. But this embarrassment was more than I could bear. I quit!
I have not sat on an organ stool since.
Ray O’Shannessy.
28/11/17.
I have been asked to describe an experience when I got lost in a single piece of music, and what made it so unforgettable. What I am about to describe is not what you expected, but here goes.
In my young days I would have dearly loved to learn to play the piano. The opportunity never arose.
Later on, in my late life parenthood, Bernadette and I went to the Benalla Show and encountered an Organ retailer. At this stage in our life we had four children and were soon convinced that it would be a good idea to involve them in music. It didn’t take the organ retailer long to convince us that his “easy to play” organ would be just the thing. So $1200 lighter we took delivery.
The two boys, being approximately aged 10 and 12 at this stage, showed enthusiasm so we arranged with a music teacher, Mrs.Schulz, to tutor them. I would take them down to her McIvor Street home of an evening to get their lessons. I told her of my earlier desire to learn to play the piano and she convinced me that she could teach me to play the organ. So,…at age 50 years…I commenced lessons.
The three of us would go, weekly, for lessons, and …….for a 50 year old…….I slowly learned my chords. Nowhere near as easy as the man at the show ground had told us, so I struggled on.. Our eldest son Anthony took to learning, but to Peter it was a chore.
Mrs Schulz moved house to a farm a number of kilometres out on the Yarrawonga Road. So we would travel of a Tuesday evening out to her farm. She had a number of students and at years end she arranged for all her students , with their parents in attendance, to give a recital. This applied also to the “old stager” …me!
The children all played to the delight of their parents, showing their talent….Then it was my turn!
After two years I had learned a number of elementary tunes and Mrs.Schulz had fine tuned me for my performance and so, apprehensively, I commenced to play… Then the worst possible thing happened! All of my fingers became thumbs! Consequently I gave the worst performance of my life. The parents, good naturedly applauded me……but I knew!.... I was no musician.
Here was my experience with a single piece of music. What made it so unforgettable?
In real life I am not a quitter. But this embarrassment was more than I could bear. I quit!
I have not sat on an organ stool since.
Ray O’Shannessy.
28/11/17.
RSS Feed
