Together

This lovely pair have had a wonderful time together today. Today sees their "second anniversary". Two years ago today a tiny 5 year old sat at a shiny black piano, refusing point blank to speak to its owner but unable to resist the urge to play its white keys with excited little fingers. Today the little monkey is about to take her grades 3 and 2 exams on clarinet and piano respectively. She's in 2 bands, an orchestra and a wee music group. She's played on stage at the Royal College of Music and Lyric theatre. She's seen the CBSO, the RPO, the Aurora, the Hull Phil. She's played in five music festivals & competitions. She's done more in these two years than I could have imagined possible. Big, exciting, amazing stuff.

Yet today she sat grinning to herself at the pleasure she got from a piano lesson. From having a wonderful time working extremely hard on a piece that she finds fabulously fun. And the person sat beside her smiles just as much as she does. The bond they have formed in the two years, many, many hours over that time, is lovely. B would do anything for Katie- "no, anything to make her work" she jokes. Katie had loved an arrangement of "tale as old as time" recently. B rewrote it for her & I to play. She's running out of space on her sticker chart. B is going to design her a new one. With a moneky and rabbit on, because that's what katie asked for when B suggested it. And B came with us to support my girl (and some others she teaches) at the training band concert. They sat laughing and playing hangman as we waited. B grinned away as they played and the kids were great. As we dropped B off she said "I'm such a proud teacher today, Katie".

A happy little lady.