Do these children look miserable

Come on. It’s not every day you get to sit on the piano now is it? This picture was taken by a wonderful man from the FT and used in an equally interesting piece by Rebecca Tyrrell explaining why lots of parents like me drag their children to practise musical instruments on a daily basis.

She got loads of fascinating experts to comment on this including someone who said “through playing music the child is ..sharing and communicating with other, processing extremely complex encoded information, expressing themselves, building up tecnhical prowess through solitary hard work and exploring some of the greatest achievements of Western culture…”

I couldn’t really put it better myself.

And today when I took Child No 2 (holding a violin) and No 3 (holding a violin as well) to take their Grade exams, I tried to remind myself of all this.

The silence that falls on the waiting room as they bravely go off to perform pieces they have been playing for a year is almost palpable. I mean you can almost touch it. Child No 2 thinks he blew it. Child No 3 thinks she triumphed.

Watch this space in about 3 weeks time.

And spot the dog in the picture. He LOVES listening to jazz.