About Me or “Why I am doing this website?”
I was bitten by the music bug at an early age. I remember playing our organ console and being fascinated by the buttons and the sounds that came out of it. I essentially taught myself music using a ‘play by number’ system. This organ console came with two music books that used numbers that corresponded with the keys on the organ. Since I discovered this new language of expression, I have never looked back!!
I begged and begged my parents for music lessons. My parents were hesitant to put me in music lessons–one of my siblings had tried guitar and quit. I guess that the numerous sessions of playing organ on my own eventually got them to give in, and I happily started organ lessons at age 9–a later start than most people, but I made up for it with consistent practice.
Two years later, I finished all eight books of the Alfred-Palmer organ course and a teacher helped me decide to make the switch to piano. Many years of piano practice ensued. I went to University to study piano performance, made a small detour into percussion performance, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music.
I have many years (I won’t say how many–let’s just say quite a few!!) of experience in teaching, performing, and accompanying, and I thought it would be a good idea to put some of that experience to use and share my love of music with others!
I spend several afternoons and evenings a week teaching piano at a local music studio in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I enjoy my work a lot–I have a full roster of talented and dedicated piano students, supportive piano parents and I have a boss that challenges me with a variety of students. I approach each student individually and challenge them to set and meet music goals. In my encounters with students and with parents, they often have similar questions which I hope to address on this site.
My goal is to share some of my music experience with piano students and parents of piano students. I want to provide a website that is informative, fun, and encourages learning. One of the things I love about music is the marriage of systematic process with the art of creation and emotion.
Music lessons are so important–they allow the practice and art of creativity, the development of perseverance, patience, organizational skills, curiosity, emotional maturity, discipline, enthusiasm, and fun. They encourage feelings of accomplishment, and are an awesome outlet for stress! I could go on and on about it!
A friend passed on a quote about why they teach music, and I thought I’d adopt some of their philosophy. “Why teach music? Not because we expect you to major in music. Not because we expect you to play or sing all your life.. But so you will be human. So you will recognize beauty. So you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world. So you will have something to cling to. So you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good – in short, more Life.“
Couldn’t have said it better myself….
Elena Fortin, B. Mus.
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