Piano Lessons
Recently, I had a conversation with a colleague from one of Boston’s finest music schools. We were talking about diversity in schools of music, and this colleague told me that this school was actively recruiting Latino/a students, Black students, and international students. But not Asian American students. Hmmm. The Asian American student population at this school was pretty low, especially as far as higher education goes. Hmmm.
I mean, by the sheer number of Asian American youth that are involved in piano lessons, violin lessons, or whatever, this seems like a shock. Aren’t Asian Americans interested in music? Or do we just care about learning how to play the Midnight Sonata, or Fur Elise, or some other wow-me-showoff-your-kid piece?
I thought back to the kind of music I played when I took piano lessons. It was 100% classical music. Classical music was part of the fabric of my life growing up - there was a point when I made up my own lyrics to go along with things like Handel’s Water Music (”The frogs sing Hallelujah, they sing hallelujah!”). But I never really learned to play music that resonated with me. It sounded old. It didn’t speak to me. The only Asian American musician I ever heard about was Yo-yo Ma. Is this why I never ever thought that people could make a life out of playing music? Or did my parents or someone instill in me that music was just a hobby, not a career?
My mom is a piano teacher, so I grew up seeing ways that you could turn a passion for music into a career. But to me, playing piano was always a thing I did on the side, a thing I had to do. I absolutely enjoyed it, but when things got busy, “cooler” things like sports became more important to me. I don’t think I would have ever had it in me to pursue music as a career, but who knows? I never even considered it. I do know that I know a lot of people who carry those “what if’s” about what would have happened if they took that leap to give music a try, to find a new way to balance passion with the pragmatics of paying the rent, and finding a “suitable” career.
What would happen to the landscape of Asian American music if we all took those leaps of faith and pursued careers in the things we are passionate about?
Last 5 posts by delia
- Rocket 2 U - May 13th, 2008
- Asians Rock: What's your story? - May 11th, 2008
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Tags: Commentary.
ok, is that a picture of you delia? because if so, you looked EXACTLY like tae.
if that’s a picture of tae…well then, never mind.
yo-yo ma is the second most famous bostonian in the world, after benjamin franklin.
i think the obsession some asian immigrant parents have with piano and violin comes from not knowing the societal norms of how to approach childrearing. as a kid, not only did i take piano and violin lessons, but i also had a tennis racket, and brought a can of soda to school every day. no cd player, no microwave, no personal computer, no nintendo at home. none of that was typical among my non-asian friends.
it made for an interesting and at times awkward childhood. but look at me now, and how awesome i turned out.
conclusion: send your kids to school with soda.
that’s me. probably a little younger than my daughter is now.
i’d like to think i know one or two thing about childrearing - i fully intend to submit my children to piano lessons, and keep soda, tv, nintendo, and microwaves out of their lives.
does this mean my kids are going to grow up to be community activists, musicians and artists? if so, i would consider giving my kids soda. hansen’s all natural, of course.
it’s weird, i had soda at least twice a day every day growing up - just because i don’t think my parents gave it much thought - and now i rarely drink it.
and wow - am i wrong? do you think you looked EXACTLY like your daughter?
Ah, so that’s why I’m less than awesome! I didn’t get sent to school with soda. Maybe I should blame my mother for packing those Chinese lunches for me. (Think Eat Drink Man Woman… well maybe not quite that good.) Homemade Daikon Soup in a Thermos, Braised Chicken in Soy Sauce, Chinese Broccoli in Garlic Sauce. If only I had soda.
But, this post is about piano lessons. I took piano lessons. For 10 years. I haven’t been a serious piano player now for a dozen years or more now. I got to be pretty good, but I never thought I was that good. But maybe that’s because I didn’t dedicate myself to it? Or maybe I saw it as being forced upon me by my well-meaning parents. And I can’t possibly be passionate about something my parents forced on me. But maybe I just didn’t give it a fair chance. Because, like most things, talent can only take you so far. When things are new, passion is easy to find. The test of your passion may come when things don’t come so easily.
although my piano-playing experiences didn’t really take off, they actually got me to a level at which i was even teaching music theory to kids when i was in high school.
i’m sure that helps me a lot nowadays when i’m trying to figure out how to play “umbrella” on my guitar…