Show May 31st!

And here is the facebook event invite: Katie D show May 31st

Hungry for color!

Last night as I lay in bed, I realized that I was starving for color. I can't stop thinking about them...neons, lime, yellow, corals, Kelly green, bright blues, salmon, and all those bold, bright things! I need them. Each one is like a little yelp of joy. I feel an excitement that's leading to change.
Change is good.
I totally parted my hair on the opposite side this morning. Living on the edge, my friends.

But seriously, back to color. Picture post coming soon!

My piano teacher is wise

I almost feel like I should stop the blog entry there with the title. Enough said.

But ok, I'll expand. The reason I am writing this blog entry is because of a particular piano lesson I had awhile back with my wonderful piano teacher at WOU. We were analyzing one of my tendencies: I sometimes lock my wrists while playing, in order to attack the piano. It's a result of hyperfocus...or "thinky-thinky" as my teacher describes it. I'm so much in my head, not wanting to make a mistake, that I ignore the rest of my body. And my poor hands and wrists have suffered in the past as a result. (My first college year comrades will remember the wrist brace I had to wear. :P)

As we unraveled the whys, I found myself saying something like, "But I want so badly to do it right, and I want to control everything!" (As I gestured my hands wildly in the air over the keyboard.) I was a little surprised to hear myself say that, but not really, because it was true.

We laughed at the sudden and obvious absurdity of it. My very insightful teacher commented that Of course we do! We want to control everything...but isn't that the paradox of life? But the more we let go, the more control we actually have.
(reflective pause)
And with piano especially, the more freedom of expression we have.

Oh ho!

It's funny 'cause I KNOW this, but somehow it always seems so surprisingly enlightening.

Just for fun, I used the Jaymar toy piano for part of lessons today. :) It's just too adorable to leave in the other room by itself. Thanks for letting me borrow it, Christa!
A second thing I have been pondering: my own piano students. Here comes my honesty. :) I have 9 students at the moment, and the other day I wondered why do I have so many...and maybe I took on too much...and do I have enough time?...and there was even a time in my late teens when I recall saying aloud, "But I don't want to teach piano." Haha! I chuckle at my 18-year-old self.

The truth is that I very much enjoy teaching and I have fantastic students! I feel lucky to be in a teaching position, and I love seeing the little successes that come every day.

I remember my own piano teacher when I was the age of my younger students...Maureen Beezhold, an extremely influential person of my youth! Sometimes I hear myself saying things that she said to me, to help me learn. It makes me feel warm inside.

Ah, the circle of life...