Piano Teacher

I was about 12 years old when my parents bought a piano. It was an old extra tall upright and I could not have been happier. During my elementary school years I would sit and listen to the pianists play during the talent shows, wishing I could do that too.  Shortly after making the piano purchase my mom began taking piano lessons from a friend, Loris Hayes. Loris also was the accompanist to a women's quartet that my mom sang with. The only time my mom could find time to practice was after we children had gone to bed;I would hear her practice and wanted to learn as well. 

I had been babysitting for a few families for a couple of years by then. I can't imagine hiring a ten year old to babysit, but I guess I was mature and responsible for my age. Or the neighbors were hard up for cheap labor. I choose to believe the first explanation.  I decided that I would use my hard earned $1.00 an hour wage to pay for myself to take piano lessons. Money was tight while I was growing up and if I wanted lessons I knew I would have to pay for them. 

Because my mom was already taking lessons, my lessons cost $4.00/half hour. This was a dollar discount for a second family member taking from Sister Hayes. For every four hours of babysitting I was able to procure the necessary payment. I went every week for 3-4 school years. Loris was kind and undemanding. I used the same piano books that my mom used. I didn't learn the names of the notes right away, I just memorized where the note was in the staff in relationship to the keyboard without knowing their names. When Loris figured this out she began using flash cards to quiz me and taught me the traditional "Every Good Boy Does Fine," and All Cows Eat Grass" statements for the spaces and lines of the treble clef. She didn't teach me very much theory, she knew it for sure. Nor did she require memorization. I don't blame her, but I wish I were better at both. She did gently teach me to play. I will forever be grateful to her for this. 

I am not very good now, but I can play a melody when I need to learn a singing part and play most of the Hymns with a bit of practice now. I enjoy sitting at the piano and playing from time to time and wish I would make more time to do it. I have never had a piano playing calling, but I have filled in at church from time to time in Relief Society or Primary and have accompanied my mom and sisters on occasion.

In addition to being a kind piano teacher, Loris was one of mine and my mom's favorite accompanists. She was a skilled player and could sight read almost anything you put in front of her. She also listened to us and followed us perfectly. I loved singing when she was at the piano. She played the piano for a women's chorus, The Musettes, in Springville for many years. I recently learned that she played the organ in her LDS ward for 50 years. 

Three weeks ago my mom called to tell me this fact that was previously unknown to me, and to also tell me that her eyesight has been failing for some time and that she had just asked to be released from that calling. I am sure it was with a somewhat heavy heart that she did. Piano and organ playing is in her blood and it shows. She no doubt blessed the lives of hundreds of people throughout her years of playing. She certainly blessed mine. My heart is full of gratitude to her now as I am writing this. I hope she knows this. I hope she finds joy in her musical memories and can continue to play in her home. She is aging and will some day return to the One who gave her this gift. I am sure the angels will welcome her and be the new beneficiaries of her ability.