Virgo Sun Pisces Moon

What happened to your childhood piano teacher?

I… actually have… no idea…..

You just lost touch after you stopped playing?

Yeah… I guess so…

Do you want to try and get in touch with her again?

I think she’s probably… passed away…? 😐

Really?!

Yeah… by 2025… probably…?

She was a lot older?

By the time she taught me, yeah, she was probably… semi-retired? I have no idea, I’m just speculating…

Do you think she was once a really good piano player?

(Nodding) She must have been… thinking about it now… she trained some really good players, not only me. I’m just a random little girl she had to teach. But she’s taught others who would’ve got into like Queensland Conservatorium or something like that… (shrugs shoulders)…

She taught those types of piano players? Classical?

Yeah… I hated it… (LOLOLOLOLOL)

You hated classical piano!?

No — not initially — but it got harder… it got soooo much harder and then I started hating it… (LOLOLOLOLOL)

Pop music is easy… classic gets harder…

I guess so? I didn’t even finish all the grades.

What grades?

Have you NOT been taught piano in Australia?! Didn’t you grow up here, too?!?!?!

(Smirk)

Well — in my piano education — and it’s probably changed by now?! I don’t even know. Maybe this was only in the 90s?! There were “grades” — Piano, 1 to 8. And Music Theory, 1 to 3.

So… by the time I was about 16 years old… I finished up to Piano Grade 7, and Music Theory grade 2 — I didn’t finish the full thing. I just stopped at Grade 7 and Grade 2.

Grade 2 out of 3 for music theory?

Yeah… I don’t remember any of it. Or at least, I don’t think I remember it?!

Why not?

It was SO BORING…. (LOL)…………. there’s so many random names for so many different types of chords. There’s so many different symbols. So many different patterns of beats, and rhythms, and whatever — I can’t even remember. I just remember thinking, “Oh… I don’t think I can make it to Grade 3…” And my parents were like, “Okay, stop. Focus on your actual studies” —

Actual studies? (Chuckles)

Yes. Chemistry. Biology. Modern History. English. Advanced English — the one I got the school award, I was the top of the whole class in.

Ahhh… you’re a writer! You’re not a piano player!!!!

(Chuckling) I guess not?!?!?!

Piano is a hobby.

It’s much more ENJOYABLE for me, as a hobby… I didn’t enjoy it when I was reaching… for those goals… to get through those hurdles… it was getting hard. Classical piano even by Grade 5 — gets really, really hard…

Do you still remember how to play?!

I guess it’s just muscle memory… like riding a bike… I might be a little rusty at first but I could pick it all back up… yeah… I’m pretty confident about that… even in 2025…

(Nodding) (Shrugging shoulders)

There’s no point to this conversation…

I’m just… learning… more things about you… (smiles)… my favourite topic!

…

…

…

(He’s still thinking about this) You would’ve had to perform piano? On stage? In front of actual humans?

(Chuckling) Yes… I would’ve had to perform on stage, in front of actual humans. Yes, there’s still exams and performances throughout those grades…

But you always seemed so shy about being on stage with music — performing — I know you said you did musicals but that was in a group. If you’re playing piano — I’m assuming — you’re actually alone, on stage?

(Nodding)… (Shrugs shoulders)… What’s your point?!

I don’t know, I’m just thinking…