Tribute to a Special Person

It seems fitting that for a first post (on this blog anyway) that I should say something nice. And so I shall - about someone I am indebted to. Not talking about my mom or dad though, I'll forever be indebted to them and they shall be mentioned somewhere in the future.

I'm talking about my piano teacher, a tribute to a certain Ms. Choo Ing Kitt.

I really can't remember the first time I met her, just that it was in some music academy by the name of 'Sunwave'. Anyway eventually she left the academy and went solo. Then she would come to my house every week to teach my bro and I. And we would serve her water and the occasional food (snacks).
Like most kids I was terrible back then. Always fooling around and refusing to practise. So my parents gave her full permission to whack (rotan anyone?) us when she deemed it necessary. Fortunately she never did deem it necessary :D
I remember the classes were divided into 2 halves. 1st one would have a practical session with her. Then both of us would do theory together in the kitchen. Then the other one would have his practical session. I loved the theory session for all the wrong reasons - it was more a time of chatting and gossip than learning. We would exchange stories and she would regale us with stories of her life :)

She taught us for a good number of years. Sometime during that period she got married to a certain Mr. Lee and had a kid. We still called her Ms. Choo though :)

I remember I was always the poorer student - I refused to practise and was absolutely lousy in my theory. Somehow I managed to scrape through Grade 5 Theory and didn't bother anymore after that. However my mom insisted that I get a Grade 8 in Practical (ie piano playing). So we kept having lessons.
I absolutely hated the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) syllabus. I hated and sucked at scales, pieces, and especially at sight-reading and aural tests (especially aural since I couldn't sing nor whistle). No matter how much she pushed me I just didn't have the motivation to improve myself. I scraped through most of my exams until I failed my Grade 8 exam by a point. (the passing mark was 100 and I got 99)

I was quite badly affected by it. I mean, it was my first real failure. I was annoyed, angry even, at the examiner for refusing to give me the one mark I needed to pass. I was about to give up then but was pushed on by my mom and her. Fortunately I could play the same pieces the following year, and so I did and I passed with 101 marks.

Then I realised that it was over - no more lessons as she wasn't qualified to teach diploma level. No more fooling around, gossiping over theory classes. She had also mentioned she wanted to stop teaching and focus on her child. And so she just stopped coming...

As the years passed, I realised just how much I missed having her in my life. She was more like a relative than a teacher. Mostly my fault for not keeping in touch with her, understandably so since she had a family to focus on. There were a number of occasions when I just wanted to pick up the phone and call, just for a chat, but never summoned enough courage to do so. I kept playing the piano though, turning to it for solace and just whenever I felt like making some music. Looking back I think what I really hated back then was having to play pieces I couldn't understand and didn't like.

When my 21st year on this earth came, I decided that I would invite her for lunch - but nobody answered the phone. Then I realised that I only had her father's house number - I didn't have hers.

I'm pretty sure that if she could see me now, listen to me play, I'd make her a little proud. I believe I have improved lots over the years (although my theory knowledge is now almost nonexistant :D) and play quite nicely. I also believe that my singing has improved loads. All because I was given the chance to enjoy music, but I only really started doing so post Grade 8 Practical.

Dear Ms. Choo, wherever you may be. Thank you for all your time, guidance and patience. Thank you for the wonderful times we shared. Thank you for this wonderful ability that you have passed down to me.