Reporter tells of remote piano lesson experience

BY Kelly Lopez

It’s been decades since I first pounded out “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the piano. I long ago forgot how to play even that simple tune, but have always wanted to be proficient on the instrument. Hence, after writing a Choraleers article at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, I made a deal with Choraleers director Lorilee Bajema.

Lorilee agreed to give me free remote piano lessons for one month if I’d write about my experience in The Friday Flyer. I quickly agreed. My lessons began three weeks ago.

When I started lessons with Lorilee, I was so new to piano and so musically un-inclined that I had trouble re-learning Mary Had a Little Lamb. When I was a child, I learned to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on a piano, but had forgotten that many years ago. That was the extent of my experience with the piano. I had taken a guitar class in college where I soon learned that musical instruments and I do not go together…or so I thought.

Many of us see others play the piano, guitar, saxophone, etc. and desire to play a musical instrument. To see the heart and soul that goes into the playing and to hear the beauty that is made with such instruments is enough draw to get us all into music class. Most of us, after a few classes or lessons are left with the realization that to play like those who inspired us takes an extraordinary amount of time, effort and patience.

I started my lessons with Lorilee with an open mind. When I had tried the guitar in college, I gave up quickly. That was years ago and I had never tried the piano. I had always envied those who could play any instrument. To me the piano looked the most approachable. It had neither thick wires to hold down with my fingers nor required any special breathing in order to blow correct notes.

After my first lesson with Lorilee, I was of no mind to give my opinion about my lessons and the piano in general. It did not come easily to me and I was frustrated. I practiced thoroughly, but it seemed as though I just could not remember the names of the keys, the order of the keys or how to make sense of what I saw when I looked at sheet music.

Lorilee recommended piano workbooks that I could use on my own as well as with her during lessons. The workbooks helped me to get a good grasp of the names of keys, their order and a very basic understanding of the beginnings of how to read music. Before trying to learn to read music, my confidence was high.

“I am good with languages,” I thought. “I can learn to read music and then I’ll be able to play the piano.” That was a silly and naive thought. It took getting my feet wet to realize I did not know anything.

Lesson 2 came and went and I didn’t feel any more capable. I was still nervous when I touched any keys or sang in front of Lorilee. I still got rather frustrated with myself. However, I was slowly realizing I was finding the keys by their letter name instead of by the finger number in the beginner book. That was a step in the right direction.

After weeks 1 and 2, my family tired of hearing me practice A Tisket a Tasket and London Bridge is Falling Down over and over again. I was getting tired of boring, simple songs as well. I looked up easy piano songs on YouTube, but did not find any I could play yet. What I was really searching for were songs I could learn from, but actually enjoy. I searched for sheet music online that I could read and play and enjoy. My online search was not successful.

After week 2, an inspired Lorilee texted me and said, “Kelly, choose between these two songs, Philip Philips, ‘Home’ or Simon & Garfunkel ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’.” Lorilee had no idea at the time of my internal frustrations, but she definitely assuaged them with her text. These were songs I enjoy and a far cry from A Tisket a Tasket. She was quick to download the easynotes to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and she emailed them to me.

Despite that song being stuck in my head from playing it over and over again, I am actually learning how to play that old favorite of mine, albeit the beginner version…and loving every minute of it. Lorilee uses Easynotes with her beginner students to provide basic sheet music of complex and popular songs.

Lorilee and I used Facetime to communicate for the lessons. Learning the bare basics of an instrument is not easy and somewhat stressful, but learning over the phone instead of in person had its challenges. It was difficult coordinating using the phone, flipping it if she wanted to see my hands and not being able to see her hands when I couldn’t.

I learned how to improve from Lesson 1. For Lesson 2, I used two phones. Lorilee would call my husband’s phone that was set up to point down at the keyboard from above so that she would have a good view of my fingers. She would then call my phone so I could see her. Feedback became a problem with so many phones, so we tried fixing that problem with earpieces. For Lesson 4 we will probably try Zoom instead of Facetime. It’s a work in progress.

Working with my personal limitations has also been challenging. Lorilee’s ability to work with my Multiple Sclerosis is actually what makes Lorilee such a fantastic teacher. The MS affects my hands as well as my legs and my right hand has less strength and coordination than my left. Lorilee took that into consideration when choosing from what books I should learn, as some books focus more on right-handed chords, while others, not as much.

She adapted chords for me, from three-fingered chords to two. She has made many accommodations for me all the while putting up with my questions as to why and how. Lorilee sees what I am capable of, pushes me to do what I think I can’t, adapts her teaching to my strengths and is patient.

I am enjoying piano more and more as the weeks go by. I am learning chords and rhythm right now and am looking forward to mastering my beginner version of Bridge Over Troubled Water and then moving on to the next song that drives my family crazy and gets stuck endlessly in my head for weeks.

Overall, I like learning to play the piano. It is not easy and takes time, patience and a lot of practice. Lorilee has really helped me to get a great start.

Lorilee is currently giving remote piano and voice lessons from her home. Her contact information is: 239-273-1773 or www.LorileeMusic.com.