My classical days!

   In my years of playing piano I went through different musical styles that suited my moods.  In the 8th grade I took up classical pieces that were of the college level.  I loved how it sounded when I learned to play the pieces but to learn them and diligently practice them, it was a major challenge.

I had a junior high talent show approaching so I knew I had to play something amazing but familiar to the ears.  I was learning Beethoven's Fur Elise.  It is on the easier end of classical pieces but it still was a chunky piece.  I was determined to practice it as much as I could so that I would be ready to play it for the talent show.

The musical piece was not in a page turning book format it was in a trifolded solo piece.  This made it challenging for turning especially on the more challenging parts of the song.  I practiced turning the trifold until I got it down.  I was so excited, I was so ready!

During the rehearsals for the talent show, it was my turn, as I sat down I noticed the piano was missing it's built in music stand.  I couldn't believe this, what was I going to do, how was I going to turn the pages without screwing up my piece?  I voiced my complaint and the only solution was to have someone stand there and hold it! Yeah okay! I was so stressed out by this I just knew it was going to be a flop.

Dreading the whole rest of the day I finally came prepared and ready to go no matter what.  When my name was called I remember shaking and hoping I wouldn't screw up my well practiced piece.  The young lady that would be holding my music was a friend of mine but she didn't seem to have a clue what was going on.  I told her to be prepared to turn the page as soon as I signaled her with a knod.

The first page turn was approaching so therefore I knodded.  She was watching me but still hadn't turned the page.  I made my eyes grow bigger and knodded harder until it was too late.  I somehow remembered the next few bars of the song on my own until she got the hint to finally turn the page.

The second time was approaching and she still didn't get the signal and this time I went blank and totally made up parts of the song until she again got the hint that I needed the page turned.  When the song was finally over I vowed that I would never again play for those talent shows unless there was a reliable piano instead of a crappy one with missing pieces.  Why they used this piano for the talent show was beyond me.