Yesterday I said goodbye to my lowboy walnut piano. It was a beautiful piece of furniture, which had become, just that, a beautiful piece of furniture. It didn't sing or resonate any longer. Its keys were no longer rattled and played. It held a candelabra well, and looked very warm and inviting, but never played much in these last few years.
She went to an aged care home. The same home which had so lovingly looked after my Father-in-law, during his last days. I know it will be enjoyed there, and once again those ivory keys will resonate with music and laughter.
We originally bought that piano for my daughter, Lauren. She had been taking lessons on a portable organ, set at piano aspect, and was doing fairly well. She was about 8 years old at the time. We travelled to the States during this period, for a 10 week holiday, and upon our return to our normal routine here, Lauren was asked by her music teacher to perform in a concert for the Queensland Arts Council the following week, which put a bit of pressure on her, as she had not been near a piano for quite some time.
On the night of the performance, she entered the stage, a small, yet confident little Miss, and settled herself confidently at the Grand Piano on stage. (At this point she had never even touched the keyboard of a real piano--just her portable organ). She played her piece with finesse, stood and took a bow.
She received a Highly Commended award from the Arts Council, and it was at that point that we decided that we should probably take her music interest a bit more seriously. A few weeks later we discovered news about a lovely Baldwin piano for sale. It was a bit pricey, but we settled upon a price and bought it for Lauren, who then continued her musical journey.
And what a journey it was, but then--that's another story!
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