Anna first had her interest sparked by piano playing when we visited my family in Maine several years ago. Piano (and guitar) are a big part of my mom’s life, well, music in general, I guess. She recorded albums and toured, performing concerts in churches and small auditoriums when I was kid. Anna became enthralled by Grandma Jan playing the piano, and Grandma gladly began giving her some simple lessons. She came home with instruction books, and every intention of practicing on her own. Anna even received an electric piano for her birthday that year (it was deal on Craigslist J), and she did try for a bit to keep playing the way her Grandma had shown her. But it was hard with no real instruction and her piano eventually began to gather dust.
Anna’s piano lessons in Maine with Grandma Jan.
Anna was thrilled to join the school band when she hit 5th grade almost three years ago. Her first thought was to finally be able to learn piano, but piano is not offered until students reach High School. So she ended up inheriting her Auntie Sarah’s flute and learning that instrument instead. As it was smaller, the flute came with us to Hungary. One of the several universities here in town is a Music Conservatory. In talking with a friend who once attended and now gives private lessons (in Hungarian), we asked about anyone who can give music lessons in English – we were thinking of flute, or, as Anna is often asking about it still, piano. Our friend has a friend who does teach lessons in English, in piano. We didn’t even tell Anna, as her little electric piano is thousands of miles away in storage and while it went on the list of stuff to bring over in our next crate this fall, we sort of saw the end of music lessons until next year. And that was that….
One of the pictures in the ad for our apartment.
….Until we knew about our new apartment. Yes, that is a grand piano in the photo. And yes, it is included with the furniture in the apartment (you don’t move pianos up and down 3 flights of stairs unless absolutely necessary). We do not yet know if it is in tune, but pianos can be tuned – I know, I’ve watched my mom do it. Actually, she totally offered her tuning services for free; she just needs a plane ticket from Maine. Anna is ecstatic, even more so when we told her we already have a teacher lined up for her. Yeah, God is completely all over the details folks. We’re rather in awe.
lakatosfamily 