Melodic music soothes the soul. However, the screeches and twangs of a budding musician can have the opposite effect. Kids have to start somewhere, but practices can be torturous to the ear. The missed notes and discordant sounds are painful to hear. In addition to piano, I took flute lessons as a child. My brother played the violin. At this point, I’ve forgotten pretty much everything I ever learned about the flute, which admittedly wasn’t very much, and probably couldn’t even elicit a squeak out of the instrument. My parents won’t admit it, but they must have worn ear plugs to endure the ear-piercing shrieks I produced. I tried hard but failed to become very proficient on the flute. Fortunately, I had better luck with the piano.
My dedicated 90 year old mother-in-law still takes piano lessons. She arranged piano lessons for her large brood and, if one of the kids missed due to extracurricular activities or sickness, she took the open slot. And she has continued practicing and progressing to this day. She’s an inspiration to us all.
My husband and I recently returned from a quick road trip to Arizona to watch our eldest granddaughter play the cello in the all-state junior high orchestra. It was a fabulous performance, especially considering the young age of the musicians. After the tryouts, the students that were chosen were given the sheet music to learn on their own. On the day of the concert, the kids were dropped off at the venue at 7:30 am to practice together for the first time. They played practically nonstop until their 5:30 pm performance. Their dedication was impressive. My granddaughter tried to instruct my husband on the basics of playing the cello, hoping to teach an old dog a few new tricks. After a few screeches with the bow, he decided to just pluck the strings like a guitar.
Playing an instrument can be an enjoyable hobby, once you develop some rudimentary skills and no longer sound like the caterwaul of a dying animal. Whether you play or just listen, music can uplift your spirits and instill peace in your soul.
