After retiring, I finally had time to practise. But I soon realised that playing and making music are two different thingsn a hot June day in 2015, I retired after 34 years of teaching high school. I packed up my classroom, went home and tossed my briefcase in the attic. Then, I drove to meet my new piano teacher, Mark.
This time, I wanted things to be different. I told Mark I had a specific, concrete goal: to play Clair de lune by Claude Debussy, a piece I remember hearing from early childhood. The way Debussy used sustained notes and silences reminded me a little of, my favourite jazz pianist. My plan was to start with Debussy and then move on to jazz piano.
Determined that there would be a day when I would totally master this piece, I set myself a deadline: I would perform before a gathering of friends on my 60th birthday. For months I did nothing but furiously practise. When the day came, around 30 friends and relatives crowded into my dining room to hear me play, and aside from a few minor slips, I managed to pull it off without embarrassing myself. People clapped warmly – they were, after all, my friends.
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