Lessons via the Cell Phone

Many years ago, well only 7.5 years ago, we lived in Parker, Colorado. Cassie was only 7 years old. Prior to moving to Colorado, Cassie would go over to her grandparents' house and tinker around on the piano. For that Christmas of 2001, Cassie received a keyboard as a gift from her paternal grandparents and her uncle. Well, I am not musically inclined, at all and I can't even read music. My mother-in-law is the music teacher!! Evidently she had a plan. She would teach Cassie how to play the piano. What? How? We lived in Colorado and she lived in Ohio.

So, it began . . . I had kept my Ohio cell phone number at the time because my in-laws didn't have cell phones and it wasn't long distance to place an Ohio call to an Ohio call. Anyway, the lessons started via cell phone. She took lessons for five months over the cell phone and then we went back to Ohio and she played in her first recital. She continued taking lessons via the cell phone for another seven months before we moved back to Ohio. So, for one whole year she took piano lessons via the cell phone.

Over the last several years all the kids have been taking lessons from Grandma, which has been a tremendous help since they all play the piano and do other instruments. Cassie plays the piano, the flute, and tinkers around with the guitar. Mackenzie is learning to play the piano and the violin and Zack is learning the piano and the drums. So, now that we have left Ohio, we have to find a piano instructor, along with teachers for the flute and violin. Zack can hopefully gain more knowledge about playing the drums from his dad since that's what he use to play.

It's been a while since the kids had any lessons, but they had their first lesson the other night . . . via the cell phone . . .

Cassie went first. She placed the phone on top of the piano.

When it was Zack's turn, he was having trouble understanding what Grandma was reviewing with him. So after a few frustrating moments, Cassie went over and started interpreting and guiding Zack . . .

Well, Mackenzie didn't even want to try because she has a hard time understanding people on the phone period. She doesn't like to talk on the phone because she says she can't understand or sometimes hear what people are saying. Plus, she hadn't been practicing her songs. So she snuck down stairs and practiced her songs on the keyboard. Then, with Cassie at her side, she took her first lesson via the cell phone.

I don't think we will continue forever doing lessons via the cell phone. It would be nice to find someone here, but with the cost of all their lessons, we may have to utilize the cell phone for a while.