Pizza Party

Friday night we had our studio pizza party.  It was at my house, all the kids played one piece.  I played a duet with kids in Books 1-4, and the others played some duets and solos.  Then we had pizza, lemonade, and leftover cookies from the recital.  I think everyone had a nice time in spite of the rain.

On Friday afternoon, as storm clouds rolled in and I thought about 20 kids and their parents having pizza in my kitchen and living room without being able to go outside, I had a moment of wondering why I was hosting an end of year pizza party.

Then after I played duets with so many kids and that was fun, and saw how the kids act differently when it's a pizza party than a formal recital, I started to remember why I do this.  There were a couple important reminders.  Not to be dramatic, but I thought about Michelle Kwan in the Olympics the year that everyone assumed she would win the gold medal.  If my memory serves me, she fell.  She didn't get the gold medal. Then at the demonstration, after all the pressure was off, she skated flawlessly to a standing ovation.  It was beautiful. I remember she had tears running down her face as she skated.  We play for many different reasons.  She skated differently for competition than for pleasure and sharing.  Not that our recitals are that stressful.  But "fun" performances are important.

After the recital when everyone was gathered on the screen porch and the parents were all chit chatting and the kids were finishing their pizza and getting out a couple games and going into little corners in little groups I remembered the other important reason I have pizza parties.  Piano is a lonely business.  We don't go on trips together.  We don't rehearse together.  We are alone in practice rooms for hours and hours.  Social events give us positive peer pressure.  I haven't kept formal statistics, but my counting on one hand analysis tells me that kids that have friends who play the piano don't quit when the going gets tough.  There is a direct correlation  between the social involvement of the student in the studio and the student following through with lessons until graduation.  We build friendships through group lessons and special events.    For the at risk students, friendships can help them make it through.  For the completely committed student, friendships are still important.  They have someone to share the journey with.   I have some students who have been friends for 13 years now.  It's gonna be one heck of a graduation party in a couple years.  That is pretty special.  The next generation is building bonds as well, little Elizabeth hasn't even started lessons yet and every week when she comes to lesson with her brother she tells me, "Say hi to Mary for me. . . "  Mary held hands with our newest student Isabella as they sat on Cassy's lap during the recital. I hope they will keep their connections for a long time.