Prologue
When trying to pick a "place" to focus my Twitterive on, I had a hard time at first. I wanted my "place" to be meaningful to me and memorable to others after they read through my project. My first thought was to revisit my childhood home and center my thoughts around my family. Then one day, out of the blue, I tweeted:
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Think I found my happy place #twitterive .....in front of my piano
and I posted a photo with it. This idea just came to me, surprisingly right after I had tweeted about visiting my old house and starting my Twitterive there that weekend. Overall I am so glad I chose my piano, and a section about my old house still managed to fit nicely into my concept.
After I decided to go with sitting in front of piano as my specific "place", I decided to treat my piano like a character. On the left side of the narrative part is mine and my piano's autobiographical story, while the right showcases personal messages, almost letters, to my piano (who I named Gray) about our times together. I decided to do something a little more personal because of the overwhelming sense of guilt I feel when I think about my piano. I love playing the piano, singing, and writing music, yet unfortunately with the business of life, I have neglected my piano--my happy place, my comfort, and my home. I thought about all the emotional hardships my piano has helped me through and compared that against all the time I have not spent with it, since making the dreaded trip into "adulthood." My hope is that I will one day be able to balance my life more efficiently, allowing me time to spend in my happy place. Till then, this project will serve as our autobiography, my apology, and my promise.
Enjoy!
LIST OF TWEETS THAT INSPIRED THIS WORK:
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Think I found my happy place #twitterive .....in front of my piano 2 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its keys are chipped but it is still beautiful twitpic.com/3xepdk 7 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert I think God allows ppl to give us compliments when we need them the most #twitterive
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert When did life get so busy? When did I stop having 5 minutes to myself #twitterive 8 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its a place I'd like to spend more time at #twitterive if only life didn't get in the way 8 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert #twitterive idea. Im going to take pics of the 3 houses my piano has been in and write a poem or something about each...I <3 creativity 9 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert #twitterive there were times you'd fall in and out of tune, but I'd always find you, always save you 10 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Which home did u like the best? #twitterive 10 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert My fingers long for the smoothness of ur melody #twitterive 11 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its second home #twitterive twitpic.com/408gl8 15 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its third home #twitterive twitpic.com/413shv 18 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its first home #twitterive twitpic.com/413uyp 18 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert And now were all content in our little home #twitterive 21 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Pretty much sums it up "heart & soul" #twitterive twitpic.com/42by44 21 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Think I found my happy place #twitterive .....in front of my piano
and I posted a photo with it. This idea just came to me, surprisingly right after I had tweeted about visiting my old house and starting my Twitterive there that weekend. Overall I am so glad I chose my piano, and a section about my old house still managed to fit nicely into my concept.
After I decided to go with sitting in front of piano as my specific "place", I decided to treat my piano like a character. On the left side of the narrative part is mine and my piano's autobiographical story, while the right showcases personal messages, almost letters, to my piano (who I named Gray) about our times together. I decided to do something a little more personal because of the overwhelming sense of guilt I feel when I think about my piano. I love playing the piano, singing, and writing music, yet unfortunately with the business of life, I have neglected my piano--my happy place, my comfort, and my home. I thought about all the emotional hardships my piano has helped me through and compared that against all the time I have not spent with it, since making the dreaded trip into "adulthood." My hope is that I will one day be able to balance my life more efficiently, allowing me time to spend in my happy place. Till then, this project will serve as our autobiography, my apology, and my promise.
Enjoy!
LIST OF TWEETS THAT INSPIRED THIS WORK:
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Think I found my happy place #twitterive .....in front of my piano 2 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its keys are chipped but it is still beautiful twitpic.com/3xepdk 7 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert I think God allows ppl to give us compliments when we need them the most #twitterive
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert When did life get so busy? When did I stop having 5 minutes to myself #twitterive 8 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its a place I'd like to spend more time at #twitterive if only life didn't get in the way 8 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert #twitterive idea. Im going to take pics of the 3 houses my piano has been in and write a poem or something about each...I <3 creativity 9 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert #twitterive there were times you'd fall in and out of tune, but I'd always find you, always save you 10 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Which home did u like the best? #twitterive 10 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert My fingers long for the smoothness of ur melody #twitterive 11 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its second home #twitterive twitpic.com/408gl8 15 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its third home #twitterive twitpic.com/413shv 18 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Its first home #twitterive twitpic.com/413uyp 18 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert And now were all content in our little home #twitterive 21 Feb
@Linzz88 Linsey Seifert Pretty much sums it up "heart & soul" #twitterive twitpic.com/42by44 21 Feb
Shades
I am the one that changes-
I am the one that lets you down.
I forget the times,
I spoil the plans;
I repeat, repeat the cycle again.
Yet, you are steadfast.
Tugging me back.
Guiding me with two shades:
Dark to inspire the player;
And light to show me the way.
I am the one that lets you down.
I forget the times,
I spoil the plans;
I repeat, repeat the cycle again.
Yet, you are steadfast.
Tugging me back.
Guiding me with two shades:
Dark to inspire the player;
And light to show me the way.
The Places Gray Has Lived With Me
#1
Lindenwold,
New Jersey
Lindenwold,
New Jersey
Before my piano arrived to save me, I was practicing my lessons on a
small keyboard laid the kitchen table. The chair I sat on wasn’t tall enough, and
my wrists hurt from straining to hit the keys by the time eacg practice was
through. I almost quit. I wanted a real piano, and I thought I’d never get one.
Then my mom overheard that one of her friend’s relatives was getting rid of a piano, and she grabbed the opportunity to rescue it. When my dad and a few other guys brought it home, it barely made it through the front door. A few minutes later with a little elbow grease, it was soon in my living room. My mom first put it in front of our big picture window, and then it made its way to the more permanent spot on the side of the living room. It took up nearly a quarter of the room. |
Dear Gray,
Remember the first time I sat behind you? I felt at home. I was happy. I was complete. The first time I hit your keys they were a little out of tune, but soon that was fixed--revealing the sweet melodic potential you held. Potential I couldn't quite tap into during those formative years. I would sit behind you and pound your keys, making everyone in the room cringe at certain parts of practice pieces. Remember when my brothers would yell at me because I practiced with You while their TV shows were on? It never mattered to me though. You were always louder; always so powerful. We never had to leave the room, but they did. |
The next song I wrote worth mentioning was a duet. My first love (who I had written Still Counting Stars about) and I had finally become friends again and This/That flowed out of our new-found friendship. While I was writing that song in my living room on my piano, my mom was home. She kept pestering me about who it was about, and I denied all her accusations that it was about my ex-first love. I claimed I had been over that, and I was trying to believe it.
This/That eventually became just a guitar-based song, but its roots are still in front of my piano.
|
#3
Clementon,
New Jersey
My husband
and his father moved the piano one Saturday morning while I was at work. I kept
texting and calling my husband to make sure everything was going alright throughout the day. I
was so nervous something would happen to it. When I got home, I was greeted by
my piano, and it was still in tact. It fit wonderfully against our dining room wall, and it is the first thing to catch people's eyes as they walk in. It looks like it was meant to be there all along.
|
Dear Gray,
Remember your first day here in our house? (I can't believe I can say that now!) I know it was a rough trip, but you made it. I came through the door with a big smile on my face, and I was so happy to see you! I know you felt cramped at first, but now the whole place flows together seamlessly. Our home would not have been complete without you. And when we added the addition of our puppy, Elly, a few months later, it felt even more complete. Who knew she'd surprise us all with her own skills and love of music. Seems we were all a melody meant to be. Elly Playing the Piano and Singing
|
My Promise To You Now-
I will Teach Them;
I will Show them the Way.
Dear Gray,
Even though my life does not leave me the room to spend as much time with you as I would like, I do promise to pass on the love and respect that I have for you. You have inspired me over the years, and I want to pass that on to the people around me. I vow to do so through my writing, performances, and most especially, my opportunities to teach others.
Love Always,
Linsey
Even though my life does not leave me the room to spend as much time with you as I would like, I do promise to pass on the love and respect that I have for you. You have inspired me over the years, and I want to pass that on to the people around me. I vow to do so through my writing, performances, and most especially, my opportunities to teach others.
Love Always,
Linsey
Teaching Piano Lessons
Right now, I have four students that I teach piano and voice to on a weekly basis at my home. Most of them are beginner students, but occasionally I will work with a student who has already been playing piano or another instrument for awhile. For lesson planning, I use a book written by my piano teacher. He wrote this after I had already finished learned the fundamentals, but this actually outlines the order in which I learned techniques; therefore, it is easy for me to use it with my students.
Below, are some videos of my a couple of my current students playing piano. These students just so happen to be my nieces as well.
Below, are some videos of my a couple of my current students playing piano. These students just so happen to be my nieces as well.
Tori and I Playing "Heart & Soul"
Tori Playing "When the Saints Go Marching In"
Lily, Tori's sister, just started taking lessons. She hasn't learned any songs yet, but she wanted make a video anyway.
Lily Playing...what she feels
"To stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable."
~ Aaron Copland ~