Why I literally worship my Russian Piano teacher? Many many years back when I was 21, I once went to meet up with a Russian classical piano teacher. She seemed just like any other extremely well raised and cultured Russian lady. She had that conservatory poise to her. She studied in a conservatory all her youth and then went to a Music Pedagogy University in Moscow. To an uninformed and ill disciplined Nepali shed seem too uptight, rude and impolite but thankfully I got to hang around Russians and get to know about them ever since I opened my eyes in this world as many of my family members went to Russia for visits and for studies. They speak Russian well too. She was very different from other European/American piano teachers I had ever come across prior to this day. As in she was a highly trained performer plus a teacher. All of us who know a bit about Classical music know how unbeatable the Russian School of Piano playing has been and the amount of world class virtuosi it has produced in the last century. She asked me to wash my hands with soap and water before even thinking of touching her piano in a very commanding voice and then ordered me to just play. Now I was just a self taught nobody Nepali musician. I was intimidated and my fingers froze. She told me, after closing the piano lid suddenly, Sarthak whenever you play music in life, you always play it for yourself first, always. Play whatever you can. That line had a magical effect on me. I played the most difficult pieces I knew. Finally she gave me a slight nod and appeared dismissive. Then she asked me to play something slow and lyrical I think I played a Cavatina. Then she smiled and closed the piano lid again. Then she remarked. You have a natural temperament of a musician and very fast fingers and your fingers are pianistic fingers, even I dont have them. But you are all over the place. If you study under me I think I can train you up to a level where you can study piano in a conservatory in Russia. I asked her in amusement, Maam but I am 21 already, in the classical world thats impossible isnt it? She replied, well you are right but since you have fast fingers which takes years and years to develop there can be an exception. Bring your father to my place as I need to talk to him about your future. My father addressed her with her first name once when she had called me up on our land line. She then asked me to make him apologize for it and then also ask him to put on his formal clothing when they met. Finally I took him to her apartment and they had a long discussion in Russian which was Greek to me. Then she looks at me she looks at him and she looks at us and looks downwards and tells my father, Sir, your son is not a normal person, he has a lot of music in him, but he is untrained and ill-disciplined in terms of musicality. You should let him start his lessons with me ASAP. My father was like, why would I have any problem with that maam? Sure. then she finally mentions her fees and my father is completely shocked. That was completely unaffordable for us. And I am not one of those stupid Nepalese who think any WHITE teacher is a great teacher because he/she is white. Let me try and describe her expertise in a more accessible fashion. I took with me a book comprised of advanced classical pieces. With concert level etudes in them. She asked me what to you want to try along with me? I said, maam youd be a better judge of it. Then she flipped the pages and it randomly came down to C.M.V Webers Perptuum Mobile. She sight read it and played it uptempo in a single go with a few minor glitches without looking at the keyboard. Then some other days she opened up the scores that I brought to her and explain the entire form and the harmony of the pieces in absolute macro and micro details. She was very very theoretically sound and introduced me to a lot of Soviet era music. So time flew by, and many many years later I heard that she had returned back to Nepal. I literally flew to her place. She was surprised and yelled at me, where were you all these years Zaaarthak I was like, maam I have been living in darkness. I wish I could afford your fees. Now I am older (piano student age), no longer prospective and I am not getting any younger by the day. And I didnt become an excellent pianist like you wanted me to be, I am nowhere. I still cannot afford your fees but I want to learn. I really want to. If I could have afforded your fees back in the days I would be in a conservatory by now, I mean you claimed it didnt you? She took a deep breath and asked me what is the sum that you can pay? I proposed a figure affordable for me but for the fees she charged it was laughable bullshit. She accepted it. Then our lessons started.She taught me for 2 hours everyday, 6 days a week. Me, her husband, her other students sometimes had lunch or tea together in the Russian style with the Russian Salad and stuff and socialized. Sometimes we did a brief lesson and just talked about music and composers. I didnt become a world class pianist and honestly I am just a mediocre Nepali musician who doesnt even like his own piano playing but now I deeply felt how a bit of consideration from a qualified teacher can change a young persons life. Slowly in the nick of time she stopped charging me for lessons totally saying I am like a mother to you. Now thats a real teacher. One who motivates you and instills HOPE in you. The last thing she told me before she left for Russia again was , Zaarthak you still have enough madness in you to be able to study in Russia, think of it and think of our dreams. I used to be hit on my fingers during the lessons, sometimes badly scolded but I thought it was necessary for untrained musicians like us. Now I miss that grilling and those disciplinary actions. No other teacher has come close to her in terms of the positive influence showered upon me. And I have never met any teacher who is so highly qualified in this country. There are many things that are beyond money. I wish that many of my fellow brethren will find a guiding star like her; especially the younger dudes. I remember her everyday, her words every next moment. The way I look at a music score has completely changed. Thanks to her. I am forever indebted.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 07:24:27 +0000
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