A Sweet Testimonial from my student

This was from my student who had no musical background and learnt a song from scratch for her wedding in less than 10 lessons. Feel touched by her sweet blog:I actually procrastinated, and delayed in finding a piano teacher for myself. Because im scared. I have no music background and the prospect of mastering a piece of music by September seemed forbidding. By the time, i mustered my courage, it was July, and i am flying China  in less than three weeks. So i googled and did alot of homework, before i found my teacher! :) God bless, and she's sister in Christ and understands perfectly my need ( i felt so ). 7 july 08 Today's our 1 year ROM anni, i had my first lesson with Joanna. And i will never forget how we reached her doorstep. It was the song ( At The Beginning ) we want that she was playing, led us to her house. And i tell you, it was so beautiful!!!!!!!!!! Hubba was saying if i can play it, it will be wonderful. I thought so too. And the ability to play a piece amazes me. Joanna taught me the basics, and got me playing on my right hand first. I am very very nervous, and i was worried that me being slow, might got her stressed up as she's heavily pregnant and due soon. Sorry Stariel, Auntie's playing sucks then! :P Joanna even wrote the chords down for me after listening to the utube version. She's genius! We think we found myself a v.good teacher. :) 8 july 08 Hubba sent me over to his cousin, Amelia's place to get her electric organ. The next consceutive Monday nights, i reported dutifully at my piano teacher's house for lessons. From right hand, i progress to left, and i struggled with keeping both hands playing harmoniously. Sometimes, i strained my fingers that i need to stop and give them a good workout. Joanna is absolutely gifted in piano, and she plays for her church. God bless her!~ By the time, Joanna is almost due, which is after my 7th lesson, we stopped seeing each other, and i continued my practice at home, using the electric organ. Early august, i ditched my scores and played by feel. By mid-august, by God's will, i can play with my two hands! It's amazing, and i felt so liberated and independent as i played using my two hands. The song really came alive. I was elated!! The new found joy! Feedback Joanna: you need to be more confident. Myself:piano is the next thing other than photography, which makes me LOST and felt so absorbed in it. i started to get the hang out of it. Accuracy now gets the second place, as i found more injected passion as i've known how to play my song. 11 sept 08 My last trial with the peddals and the grand piano before 14th. The stirrings in my heart was felt as i played and played. I was so engrossed, that i overcame the shyness of playing in front of strangers.     I received Joanna's encouraging smses during the course, and she often replied my msg-es as and when i texted her. Thank you God, for her. Total no. of my own practices: > 200 times. I didn't realise the frequency till my storage space in my N81 was full, and i started to transfer the recorded pieces of my practices to my lappie. I discovered i had a grand total of 182 recorded trials in my N81! It's very mind gruelling for me from the beginning to the stage whereby i got pass the need to refer to the scores. I played as if the lyrics were part of me. My family were exceptionally kind as they beared with the noise i created. tehehe. So my Fujitsu's new headset came in handy as i actually played late into the night without disturbing my neighbours! :D Head got abit whoosy, eyes abit blurry, hands abit jerky after 2 hours non-stop practice each day. Huh....that's the cue to tell me to stop and rest for the day. :P My Sept 1 week school holidays I am very scared! It's just 1 week to go! Can i do it? 12 sept 08 I think i am too busy with school work and the last leap of wedding prep to feel the jitters. But i think i can do it! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 14 sept 08 Joanna texted me. Gosh, she remembered my big day. SO sweet of her. She's my link to the piano; that is the mental support other than Hubba. Our swordbearers entered the ballroom first before our emcees welcomed me in. I entered after the emcees informed our guests on my upcoming attempt/ stunt. :P Hubba gave me the you-can-do-it look before the door opened. That adoration look...The doors slowly opened, and i strolled in, and sat under the intelligent lights which were shone on me and the black classic grand piano. I smoothed the keys across, and inhaled deeply, before i played. I was gaining control at the beginning, i pedalled, and then there was abit of hiccups. Hiccups in the sense i forgot the beginning of the chorus part blush, but i didn't give up, i replayed, while my guests cheered me on. The song was not fluid as my practices, but it was authentic all in all.  I completed the entire song i needed to play for my husband, before my emcees welcomed him into the ballroom. And the real song- At The Beginning came alive as we marched in. It was beautiful. So the item was performed. 2 months of intensive training. I am so glad, i did not give up, as the beginning till the actal day formed the other important remnants of my wedding memory. :) Thank you, Joanna. :)