A hiatus of 2 weeks and me and Oliver were back at the music course for beginners last Saturday. This was actually the 1st lesson proper, the one 2 weekends ago was a briefing and orientation.
We were late and Oliver resisted entering the classroom even though I was carrying him. He was his usual self, clinging to me and not too participative. However, when it came to playing with the little instruments like handbells, castanets and shakers, he was ok and could identify almost all of them when teacher Elaine asked the kids to pick it up. It was followed by singing and appreciation of the high notes, where the kids had to flap their arms like a bird whenever the teacher played the high keys. When Elaine asked if anyone knew how to sing "The farmer in the Dell", Oliver sang out the few lines.
Then it was "keyboard time"! A 10-minute session where the kids sat with their parent at the keyboard, and this was the time when they were most excitable.
Elaine did something different from the previous session, and perhaps it was to stop this other kid from irritating the hell out of everyone as he was whining and banging on the keyboards. Elaine first got him out to the piano, made him bow to the audience, and allow him to tap on the high keys. Next was this girl who did the same thing.
After that she asked if there was any volunteer. To my surprise, Oliver put up his right hand. He gamely walked out from his keyboard seat on his own, and took his bow at the piano (like a planist in a concert), and played on the piano. Although it was just a couple of notes, I could already imagine him to be performing at Carnegie Hall, or maybe Victoria Concert Hall... or maybe Esplanade.
