Thirty years after failing his grade two exam, our writer is banging out Handel, Billie Eilish and Elton John – and he’s not alone. With apps to help with learning, there’s never been a better time to tinkle the ivories
Misplaced pride may have clouded my memories of learning the piano as a kid in the early 90s. I can still picture the piano itself, a knackered upright that was so old it had brass candleholders. I definitely remember my teacher, Issie, a local jazz musician. And I thought I’d done pretty well until … what, grade three? Maybe even four?
“Forgot you failed grade two!” came a recent WhatsApp message from my mother, who had excavated the marking form from a filing cabinet. That made two of us.
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