Please, come home and practice the piano

Chapter 944 204. Opening an order? Middle-aged and elderly people who need care

“Our teaching services cover all age groups.”

Li An confidently replied with a smile, "From children of appropriate age to middle-aged and elderly friends."

Lao Tang: Is there?
Mu Xin: I only mentioned the crash course for adults.

Hearing this, Mr. Gao couldn't help but ask again, "If you just want to play one or two little songs, like the song "The Hawthorn Tree", how many lessons would it take?"

Ang Lee: “Evgeni Rodkin.”

Grandpa Gao: "Yes, yes, yes! Xiao Li, you know a lot. There are many young people who know the title of this song, but this is the first time I have seen someone who can name the composer."

Lao Tang: This is my first time seeing it too.

Mu Xin: +1 for little-known fact.

Ang Lee smiled and said: "My father likes old Soviet songs very much. I have been influenced by them since I was a child."

Grandpa Gao: "I told you, that music is really good. It's good to listen to at any time."

Ang Lee: "Yes, but when it comes to playing this music on the piano, first of all, we have to make it clear that it is different from ordinary instruments."

"Usually, musical instruments are monophonic, but the piano is a polyphonic instrument."

"That means it's relatively complicated to play on the piano, if you know what I mean."

Grandpa Gao: "Understand, understand. The piano needs two hands to be played. One hand plays the accompaniment and the other hand plays the main melody."

Li An: "Yes, this involves the coordination of both hands. If you just want to play a melody on the piano with one hand, it is almost not difficult for an adult with a basic musical foundation. You can do it just by practicing the key-touching hand shape. If you don't have any requirements for playing posture and fingering, you can just have a piano and entertain yourself. You don't need to learn at all."

"If you mean playing with both hands, then you should at least start with separate-hand practice. After a period of learning and practicing, when both hands have a certain foundation, you can start to practice with both hands together, that is, one hand plays the accompaniment and the other hand plays the main melody.

"If you put your hands together right away, it may be easier for some children, but it is very unfriendly to middle-aged and elderly people. We have to admit that as people age, their physical functions will inevitably decline."

"When we play the piano, it is reflected in the coordination of our fingers."

Uncle Gao: "That makes sense."

Li An: "So even if middle-aged or elderly friends want to play a little piece, we can't avoid the basics."

Uncle Gao: "Yes, yes, we must start from the basics."

Li An: "The exact number of class hours required will be determined by our professional teachers based on your actual learning progress, and we need to know your ultimate goal."

Mr. Gao was puzzled: "What does the goal mean? Isn't it just to play a piece of music?"

Ang Lee raised his hand and snapped his fingers, and the two of them stopped playing in front of the piano in tacit understanding.

"Which of the two teachers will come?"

Mu Xin stood up and moved away from the piano.

Lao Tang: “~”

"Come on, Mr. Gao," Li An continued, "let's listen to the piano performance of Hawthorn Tree. Thank you, Mr. Tang."

Lao Tang understood and snapped his fingers, and the sound of hawthorn trees rang out in the hall on the second floor.

As soon as Grandpa Gao heard it, he was immediately intoxicated. It was this tune, and it sounded so good when played on the piano. Looking at the elegant posture of the performer, Teacher Tang, it was really great.

Grandpa Gao thought that he was very lucky to be able to play out this one-third of the feeling.

Mu Xin, who was standing beside the piano, had already taken out his cell phone to film, and the video captured the helpless look on Lao Tang's face.

Mu Xin was so amused that she almost died. It had been more than ten years since she had played the piano like this.

The left hand only uses the simplest accompaniment texture, and the right hand only plays a single melody. This is a standard improvisation method for beginners.

Finally, a crisp snap of fingers was heard again, and Lao Tang stopped.

Clap, clap, clap. Grandpa Gao clapped: "Teacher Tang plays so well!"

Lao Tang turned around and smiled, "Thank you for the compliment."

At this time, Li An took over the conversation, "Teacher Tang, please work harder."

Grandpa Gao was stunned, only to see Lao Tang turn around and raise his hand to point again.

It was still the familiar prelude, and the same tune, but the color of the music this time gave him a completely different feeling.

It sounds good. This time it sounds better than before. Grandpa Gao couldn't help but stand up.

Li An stood up and said, "It's still Hawthorn Tree, but as you can hear, it's a little different from the first time. Its harmonic progression is richer, and the accompaniment techniques are more diverse. You should also have heard some ornaments other than the melody."

Grandpa Gao nodded: "Yes, it sounds more advanced."

Lee Ang: "You can replace the word advanced with complex."

After that, he waited until Lao Tang finished playing the second time. Still unsatisfied, Grandpa Gao looked at Li An and said, "Xiao Li, is there anything more complicated?"

Ang Lee smiled and said: "We can make this music sound more complex, but the more complex the music is, the more it can move people. On the contrary, sometimes simple music can touch people's hearts more deeply. Music that can touch people's hearts is what we pursue."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Gao felt ashamed. He was rude. "The truth is simple. Teacher Tang has reached a certain level!"

Lao Tang: "You are exaggerating. For beginners, they are used to adding to the piano playing in their minds. We have all experienced this."

Ang Lee took over the conversation: "It's still the song "Hawthorn Tree". In fact, if we only extract its harmony, it will be very moving."

Then, "Ding-Ding-Ding-Ding-" Lao Tang played the chords of the first half of "Hawthorn Tree" in sequence using the column structure.

As soon as the little smell came out, Grandpa Gao felt itchy again.

The old man was delighted to hear this, and his voice became louder: "Xiao Li, if you want to play at the level of Teacher Tang a second time, I'm not saying you have to play as well as Teacher Tang, but just play the score he played. According to the learning process you mentioned, how long will it take to learn it?"

Mu Xin: The master is on the right track
Lao Tang: It’s about to open.

The three of them looked at Li An at the same time. Grandpa Gao's expectations were already evident. Mu Xin and Lao Tang also felt that the order was a sure thing.

But Li An still said calmly:

"Don't worry. I've just told you that this is a serious issue. As for learning, I know you have a musical foundation, but I don't know how good your foundation is. Do you have the conditions to practice piano at home? Can you come to class at the agreed time? Can you practice after class according to the teacher's requirements? We must take all these factors into consideration."

"We must first clarify these before we customize teaching plans for each student."

"If we don't know anything, and I tell you directly that twenty lessons are enough, it would be irresponsible to you and to ourselves."

"Are you right?"

“The number of class hours is a result, not a process. The process is teaching.”

“Teaching is a two-way process.” “I hope you can experience it yourself during the teaching process.”

"One class is a small goal, three classes is a medium goal, and five classes is a big goal. As you continue to complete one goal after another, I think you will make your own judgment without anyone telling you."

"When you can flick the hawthorn tree down, there are two things you can expect."

"The first type is that you find through the first period of study that you really like playing the piano, have a new goal, and want to continue learning with the teacher."

"The second option is that you have achieved your goal and you don't want to learn anymore."

"In the first case, we will develop a second-phase professional learning plan based on your goals."

"In the second case, we hope that through the experience you have accumulated during the first period of study, you will be able to continue to stick to this hobby."

"So I'm going to add another small goal for you in your first course, which is to learn how to practice, so that even if you don't take classes here anymore, you can continue to explore on your own."

After a pause, he said, "I am not satisfied with what you said. When we originally planned to offer piano lessons for the elderly, we actually took into account the real needs of the middle-aged and elderly people now."

"Pursuing personal hobbies is definitely not exclusive to young people. On the contrary, I think middle-aged and elderly people who have devoted most of their lives to their families and children should boldly pursue themselves."

“When you are old, you should have something to do and something to enjoy.”

"For you, what does it mean to be occupied in old age? After learning piano, you should arrange a fixed time every day to practice. If you don't have a piano at home and are not considering buying one for the time being, it doesn't matter. Just come here at a fixed time every day."

"Then isn't the process of practicing and learning itself a manifestation of having something to do in old age? It's just like working before you retired. Maybe you enjoy what you're doing now more."

Grandpa Gao grinned: "Yes!"

Ang Lee followed with a smile: "The pleasure and spiritual enjoyment that comes from playing the piano, isn't that what makes old age fun? We hold concerts on this small stage regularly every month. When the time comes, you will sit here, and your son will sit in the audience holding your granddaughter. I believe that at that moment you will be the happiest person in the audience."

“It’s actually very simple to turn retirement into enjoying old age.”

Listening to Ang Lee's description, Grandpa Gao seemed to have seen that scene. He played "The Hawthorn Tree", where the most beautiful memories of his life were buried.

Xiao Li said it well, very well, that the elderly should have something to do and something to enjoy, and that retirement care can be turned into enjoying old age.

"Xiao Li, how do we sign up for classes? I'll just follow your instructions."

Old soup:
Mu Xin: Ang sincerely
Li An smiled and said, "You should listen to me before making a decision. I suggest you go back and discuss it with your family."

Grandpa Gao waved his hand and said, "What are you discussing? Can't I make the decision on my own about my own affairs? Xiao Li, I understand what you mean, don't worry."

Li An: "Uncle Gao, listen to me, this is not a matter of a few dozen dollars. We also have our own system. There is a negotiated withdrawal, but we cannot refund the tuition for classes that have already been taken."

"Given the current high incidence of scams targeting the elderly, we require your child to be present to sign and confirm when you register. We hope you understand."

Grandpa Gao sighed inwardly: "I understand. I will follow the process you said."

Mu Xin felt inexplicably uncomfortable when he saw this. The old man had worked hard all his life, but in the end he wanted to pursue a better life in his later years but still needed his children's signature to agree.

But she also knew that there was nothing wrong with what Ang did. Twenty lessons cost six thousand yuan, which was not a small amount of money. If there was any dispute later, the result would not be good for Piano Classroom No. 4.

"Teacher Tang, arrange a trial class for Uncle Gao."

Three minutes later, Lao Tang took Gao Wenchang to piano room No. 1.
-
Lao Tang suddenly had to attend class, so the morning rehearsal was naturally interrupted.

But isn’t the rehearsal for the concert, and isn’t the concert for recruiting students?
"Do you still drink tea?"

At the water bar downstairs, Li An made a pot of tea and also poured a cup for Mu Xin.

“I don’t make it specifically, but I drink it anyway.” Mu Xin chuckled.

After a moment, "Brother An, do we have plans to recruit middle-aged and elderly students?"

Li An: "Isn't it available now?"

Mu Xin gave a thumbs up and said, "I was confused just now."

Li An smiled and said, "You guys are definitely better than me."

Mu Xin hurriedly shook his head and let her die. After a moment, he said, "Brother An, we really need our children to sign."

Li An's smile disappeared immediately. "Hey, what else can I do? This morning, the property management company was forwarding a message in the group to beware of new scams. They send it five days a week, and they are all different. The issue of fraud targeting middle-aged and elderly people is too sensitive right now. If something goes wrong later, it will be very troublesome."

Mu Xin nodded: "Yes, I just thought of it, but I just feel weird."

Li An: "Look at it in a positive way. They feel at ease with the support of their children. Don't be fooled by the old man's tough words. In fact, when people get old, they will involuntarily tend to be more like their children, especially when it comes to consumption. At least a considerable number of elderly people are like this."

Mu Xin thought about it and realized it was true. "Hey, Brother An, my dad is like that. He calls me several times to ask about something he bought for a dozen dollars. My dad hasn't retired yet."

Li An raised his eyebrows, "Is it possible that your father wants to talk to you? How many times a week do you usually call home?"

Mu Xin was stunned: "Um, I haven't calculated it specifically, but they usually beat me."

Li An sighed: "I was the same before. I took my parents for a physical checkup last year, and then I would call them at a fixed time every week. We are getting older, and so are our parents."

Mu Xin: “Yes.”

Li An: "So if children showed more care and concern for their children, there might be fewer cases of fraud against the elderly."

Mu Xin: "Brother An."

Ang Lee: "Huh?"

Mu Xin: "You are such a nice person."

Li Anle: "Don't say that. Good people can't support a group of you."

Mu Xin: “It doesn’t exist!”

Just then, Xu Li's car stopped in front of the store.

He arrived just in time, as Li An was about to send a message to Xu Li, as he didn't know how to issue a receipt.

"Morning, Sister Xu."

"Morning, Sister Xu."

As soon as Xu Li entered the room, she saw the two of them sitting at her water bar and asked them with a smile how they felt.

Li An: "That's great. I think we can add another business."
-
At the same time, on another continent, Teacher Xiaomi picked up his mobile phone as soon as he opened his eyes.

It’s only four o’clock.

She didn't know whether she was asleep or not.

Ye Zi: I'm awake, where are you?
Two seconds later.

Leaves: Nervous