My first days at MUSON were filled with excitement. Every morning, I looked forward to my one-on-one lessons with my teacher, Mr. Goodness Peters. Even though everything was new to me, I was happy because I knew I had taken the first step toward my dream of becoming a musician.
As my lessons began, I quickly realized that music was much deeper than I had imagined.
For my theory classes, we used Eric Taylor's ABRSM Grade 1 Theory book. It was my introduction to the language of music. I started learning about the musical alphabet, notes, rests, time signatures, and many other musical symbols. At first, everything seemed confusing. There were so many things to remember that I sometimes wondered if I would ever understand them.
But I refused to give up.
For my practical lessons, we used John Thompson's Modern Course for the Piano – Grade 1. One of the very first pieces I learned was "Music Land."
When I first looked at the piece, I thought it would be easy. But as soon as I placed my fingers on the piano, I realized there was much more to it. Reading the notes, keeping the rhythm steady, and making my fingers move correctly was more difficult than I expected.
There were times when I struggled. I made mistakes, stopped, and started again. Sometimes I became frustrated because I wanted to improve quickly. Learning music required more patience than I had ever imagined.
Thankfully, my teacher, Mr. Goodness Peters, encouraged me to keep going. He patiently guided me through each lesson, correcting my mistakes and helping me improve one step at a time.
Slowly, things began to change.
Every lesson made me a little stronger. Every exercise taught me something new. Every mistake became an opportunity to learn instead of a reason to quit.
For the first time, I understood that becoming a musician was not about being perfect. It was about practicing, being patient, and never giving up.
Looking back today, I realize that "Music Land" was more than just the first piece I learned on the piano. It was the beginning of a journey that would shape my future in ways I could never have imagined.
As I closed my piano book after another lesson, I smiled to myself.
I knew there was still a long road ahead of me.
But with every note I played, I was falling more and more in love with music.