AT HOME WITH KAYLA PRICE 11/4: Piano

What Happened to the Piano?

I was driving down Houston Street the other day and noticed an upright piano on the sidewalk with a “free” sign on it.  Why have pianos gone out of vogue?

While growing up, I think most of my friends had pianos.  We had one.  I remember when my parents got it right before my sister and I started piano lessons.  The plan was to refinish it (almost fifty years later, and it still is waiting).

I was six years old when we started taking lessons from Mrs. Cecil Hicks.  Mr. Hicks worked at my dad’s car dealership, and Mrs. Hicks taught piano lessons.  I recall that she always kept a pack of gold stars.  If you mastered a piece of music, she would take one out of the package, lick it, and then affix it to the top of the music.

There were recitals of all of Mrs. Hicks students.  I can’t recall the actual event, though I know I participated due to a program my mom had saved and pictures of the event.  It was probably so embarrassing that I have suppressed the memories!  Let’s just say, a budding Beethoven I was not!  I believe, based on the photos, it was held at the Women’s Building (what is now El Charro on College St.).

I wonder if young people still take piano lessons?  It seems like traveling sports teams consume nights and weekends, which is great since playing sports teaches good, life-long skills.  But I hate to think students aren’t exposed to the good skills that playing piano teaches as well, such as fractions, beats, rhythm, reading music, teamwork, etc.

I still have my parents’ piano, and the piano bench still houses music from those days, some with the “gold star” still attached (though that may have been my sister’s accomplishment rather than mine!).  I wonder if I could still play one of those old tunes?