Singing around the Piano

You have taken your piano lessons and you feel that you can play the piano pretty well. But how would you feel about singing around the piano? This is a wonderful experience and one that has been shared in my family for many years. There is no better way to have fun other than having one of your family members sit at a piano and play while other members of the family gather around to sing along.

I know this first hand as my mother is a magnificent piano player and there are many occasions in which our family gathers together, be it Christmas or a birthday, and at each of these gatherings we can never help ourselves from having to sing along to our favorite family songs. My mother can play almost anything due to her astounding ear. She can read music; however, she doesn’t need to if she hears a song first. We will sing anything from Christmas carols to our favorite Beatles tunes.

This is the type of fun and family enjoyment that can never be forgotten. It does not matter if you have a good singing voice or not as most people do not. Believe me; my dear grandma could wake the dead with her voice, but simply having my grandma join us around the piano to sing is enjoyment enough. If you are able to play the piano, then it is your duty to bring music into your family. Serenade them with a little music to begin with and then eventually suggest that everyone join in singing around the piano. While singing along with them you will see your family in a completely new light.

They will become more whimsical and animated. The joy will shine in their eyes and this magic will become contagious, even to your youngest teenager, scowling in the corner. You will notice that their foot is keeping time to the music; they may be mouthing the words to the song that the rest of the family is singing. Soon, before you know it, that lonely teenager is one of the ones standing around the piano, clapping, singing, and keeping time with the music.

Music brings people alive and because of that there is no greater joy or freedom than that of music. Be it the piano sheet music that you play or the music that you can pick up by ear, the ability to play and sing around the piano offers a special type of enjoyment that only those who have experienced it can remember.

As I write this, I find myself smiling about the last time that my mother and I sang around the piano. My mother, after having almost losing her life, had decided to sit and play the piano.

As I have said before, my mother is a magnificent piano player. With all due modesty, I myself have a decent singing voice. With my arm around my mother, we sat and sang around the piano all of the old gospel songs that she so loves.

This was the most touching moment of my life and is just an example of how music can help bring your family together. Enjoy every moment of it because you never know whether you will get another chance to relive that experience.

I hope that with the accomplishments of your piano playing you will give your family the chance to enjoy this fantastic opportunity as I have. Give them the joy of singing together around you while you play the piano. Believe me, they will remember it as long as they live.