The Power of Piano

My mother is, in many ways, the Platonic ideal of the modern suburban housewife. For years, she was the “stay-at-home” mom that participated in PTA meetings and whose life revolved around her children. To call her a “helicopter mom” would only be a slight exaggeration. Like most modern parents, she kept herself busy taking care of her children.

One of the best things she did for me, though, was get me to try new things. While a parent should never force their children to do things that neither the parent nor the child enjoys (unless, of course, it is something that will benefit one of these parties in the long term), I believe that they should push the child to experience a number of different activities. My mom wanted me to find activities that I enjoyed. Sports like soccer or swimming were among some of my favorite activities. And it was through this that I came to have a lifelong love for the piano.

From an early age, I always found the sound of the piano to be pleasing to my ears. When my mother suggested that I try practice the piano, I figured “why not?” I don’t regret agreeing to it. The piano is truly magnificent. When the pianist sits down and uses the keys, he is like the master of the universe. He can do so much and make so many different sounds with one grand instrument. I truly love it.

I did enjoy my piano teacher’s lessons. They quickly became a challenge that I was all too happy to attempt. Having both hands play different parts of a song on the piano was difficult, but the results of my practice did pay figurative dividends for me. As I improved my motor skills, I was able to learn songs like Fur Elise or Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Playing these pieces was fulfilling because it gave me something to aspire to, at least for a little while.

My piano teacher did help. My mother knew Mrs. West from her days as an Atascocita school teacher, so she was able to connect me with her easily when she found that Mrs. West was teaching private piano lessons. Mrs. West patiently sat by me on the piano and taught me how to read the piano’s Grand Staff (a Base Staff plus a Treble Staff on the same music sheet). One time, she even helped me write my own song called “The Silly Putty Song.” I came to associate her patience and willingness to help with the music itself.

Playing the piano wasn’t just helpful for my self-esteem, but for my social skills as well. There are several studies showing that playing musical instruments help autistic kids reach their full potential. Music comprehension requires using both hemispheres of the brain, which helps to better stimulate speech and language skills. Music also helped me express myself in a way words couldn’t do in themselves, which also helped my social skills. If I were happy, the piano sounds were quick and cheerful or grand and booming. If I were more contemplative, I’d play my music softly and with coolness. Sadness would have me bang on the piano, as if taking out my frustration. The same song would have a different feel depending on how I pressed each key.

Sadly, I didn’t continue playing the piano. A few years after I started taking lessons, I enrolled in my middle school’s orchestra and decided to play a viola. I decided that I didn’t need to play two instruments at once, so I stopped practicing piano, figuring that I could substitute it for playing the viola. It just wasn’t the same, however. I didn’t feel I had the command over my string instrument that I did as a pianist. But even after I stopped playing viola when I graduated high school, I still didn’t play the piano. I was away from home most of the time, and even when I was home, I was too embarrassed to play. What if I messed up?

Now that I’ve graduated college, I’ve come to regard my old piano fondly. I recently have started practicing on my own again, and I find that the desire to perform and succeed is still buried deep inside me. My skills have gotten rusty, but the sense of aspiration is still there. I know that if I just try hard enough, I can regain my lost skills. But even if I never play an instrument again, looking at the piano and thinking back to my youth still fill me with warmth.