Getting Worked

Every Monday, the Magster takes piano lessons. She is probably the only kid in the country who begged me to take piano lessons and says that Mondays are her favorite day because it is piano day.

This Monday, she had music theory homework. Now, you have to know, when it comes to practicing the piano, the Magster plays probably 20-30 minutes a day without me or the Dad asking. But when it comes to music theory, oy vey, she's not a happy camper. She whines, she complains, she procrastinates. Her usual style is to wait until minutes before her lesson begins, then with much goading, she'll struggles through the assignment. She's only 6, so who can blame her for feeling reluctant about reading music?

Yesterday it was the typical pre-piano rush. As she sat at the counter, shoulders slouched and eyes downcast, I hovered over her reminding her the notes between the lines in treble clef spelled FACE and the notes between the lines in bass clef spelled ACES. She just couldn't keep things straight. After 20 minutes her head hit on the counter and she couldn't even remember the alphabet to G. It was too hard, she said. So, I took a big step back and quit pushing it. She looked at the book a few minutes longer, asked for some milk and before she could take a drink her teacher was at the door.

The best part of having in home piano lessons is I get to listen. So, I hear the teacher ask Maggie about her homework and she squeaks out it isn't done. I'm waiting for the teacher to bust her. I have to admit, I'm a little gleeful. Simply because with me she wasn't even trying. The teacher begins to quiz her. I'm in the kitchen practically jumping for joy.

"What's this note?"

The Magster, "A"

"And the second up from that note?"

"C"

"The second down?"

"F".

On and on it went. The darn kid didn't miss a friggin' note. She's firing off notes to the teacher like she's Mozart. She's got the bass clef right, the treble clef, she even throws in a flat. She's getting the note counts correct, even the rests. With me, I would have sworn my daughter couldn't spell her own name, let alone read a note of sheet music. Now she's ripping through her music theory like it's finger painting.

The ultimate was when the teacher asked her to site read a line of music and the Magster played it flawlessly. See if I ever try to help her with her music theory homework again. She worked me. Cearly, she doesn't need my help when it comes to music. After 5 years of playing the flute, I never could site read with any competency.