[Why I Started Piano Part 3] The Day I Finally Decided to Do It

When I was in high school, seeing a male student play the piano accompaniment at a choir competition was the first time I became interested in the piano, thinking, 'That's so cool.'
However, I was busy every day with club activities and commuting, and time passed without me ever trying, thinking, 'I don't have the time, and it's not for me.'

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After that, when I was a working adult, I watched the anime 'Your Lie in April'.

Seeing the main character, a boy, playing the piano made me think, 'It really is great after all.'
I watched the performance scenes over and over again, my heart was moved by the music, and although I thought, 'Maybe I could do it now...', I still couldn't take that first step, and 10 years went by.

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And then, the day I finally decided to 'do it' arrived.

The trigger was my son's piano recital.

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My eldest son started piano at age three.

'I want my child to experience the things I wanted to do but couldn't.'

With that thought in mind, we started lessons.
And last month, he had his first recital.
The venue was a small hall with about 50 to 60 people, including parents, teachers, and children.

While there was the unique tension of a recital, there was also a warm atmosphere, and it felt like everyone was gently watching over the children's performances.
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But as his turn to perform approached, my son seemed to get anxious, saying 'I don't want to do it' and 'I don't want to go' over and over, and eventually he tried to leave the venue.
'Of course he feels that way, it's his first stage, it's scary, right?'

Even though I understood that in my head, as a parent, I was extremely worried.

Still, he had practiced this much, and I believed this experience would surely be very meaningful for him, so I took the plunge and brought him to the teacher.
Then, I put my hand on his small shoulder and sent him off, saying, 'It's okay. Just do what you can.'
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He played 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'.
He couldn't play it very well in lessons, so he performed with the support of his piano teacher.

But seeing him sit in front of the piano and press the keys with his small hands, I was filled with emotion at how hard he was trying.
The audience was quiet, and everyone was listening to my son's performance.
In that atmosphere, seeing him play the notes, falteringly but earnestly, almost brought me to tears.

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When the performance ended, gentle applause spread through the venue.

My son was a little shy when he returned to his seat, but he also looked somewhat proud.

And then, another family nearby said to us, 'How old is he? That was very good,' and I was truly happy.
It wasn't me, the parent, who was being praised, but I was as happy as if it were my own achievement, and I truly thought, 'Ah, I'm glad we came to the recital.'

It wasn't just about 'whether he played it well,' but the very act of standing in front of people and doing his best under pressure was surely a great experience for my son.
So, I praised him with all my heart, saying, 'That was amazing, you did a great job.'

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What was even more impressive was seeing the performances of parents and children or siblings playing duets during the recital.

Seeing a family enjoying music together was so wonderful that I thought, 'It would be fun if I could stand on stage with my son next year.'

And that became the moment I seriously decided to 'start piano'.
I want to grow together with my child for his sake.

Being able to think that was the biggest trigger of all.
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When you start something, you often make various excuses not to do it, but when you decide to 'do it,' people can become very strong.

Before you worry and hesitate, take one step forward.
I feel like I learned that importance from my son's example.
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And when I told the piano teacher, 'I want to take lessons too,' she said, 'I think it will have a very positive influence on your child as well,' and I started my first piano lesson ever.
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Thank you for reading my story about starting piano over these three parts!

From now on, I plan to write about my piano lesson records and realizations like a diary.

I would be happy if you came to read it again!