After twenty one years at sea I decided to stay on land and teach for a few years.
I love teaching, I love young talented people. I love to share my experience with them.
I remember when I was very young... I mean very young and I heard my father practicing.
It has mesmerized me from the first moment. I wanted to play the piano so much!
I was 4 years old and I can remember just as it was yesterday: I was crawling under the piano
and my father was practicing a very difficult piece... I stood up and wanted to help him.
I pointed at the music and I asked him: ‘Daddy! What note is supposed to be played there?"
And the reason he was a great dad is that he did not send me away! He asked me: Where, my little angel?
Which one would you like to know? "The one you always miss daddy!".... so from that moment he tried
to tell me where and what notes are in the music.... and I learned them... day by day, note by note.
I was marching around the room: "Treble clef, on the lines: E, G, B, D, F ... in the spaces: F, A, C, E"
Just like this for a week... and another week for the bass clef: "Bass clef, on the lines: G, B, D, F, A
... in the spaces: A, C, E, G".... and in two weeks and a few more days with some more "information"
at the age of 4 and a half I was able to read music.... another month I needed for the rhythm and
another to find those notes on the piano... I must say when I had my fifth birthday I was able to play
"Happy Birthday To You" for myself...
My father was a very smart and intelligent man. He knew a lot about everything, spoke German
fluently and English in a very decent level. Actually, he improved his English a lot before he died (my
biggest loss in my life). I had to stay in this world without him since January 5, 1985..... he was only 54...
He was full with energy and plans... well, not in the last three years of his life as the cancer "ate him up"
really badly. He used to be a 220 pounds strong man and when he died he was less than 120... after a
very long and very painful suffering time. I think of him a lot! Thank you DAD!
...to be continued...
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