Feeling the Music

There have been moments in my teaching career that really stand out. (For anyone who doesn't know, I'm a violin, viola, and piano teacher.)  These are times when I feel that I have made a profound difference in a student's life.  This evening I had such an experience.

When I teach, I try to play with a lot of feeling and emotion, because that's what music is all about.  It's not just notes on a page.  I always hope that a student will feel the music in his or her soul, and that it will evoke some kind of emotion.  Usually that doesn't happen.  A student may play things loud and soft and with correct phrasing, but not always feel it.

Tonight, I was teaching a young piano student a piece that he had been working on for a couple of weeks.  It was a very beautiful piece of music.  When I looked at him, I noticed a few tears rolling down his cheeks. 

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He nodded.  "It's just.. the music is hard on me."

"You're playing it beautifully, though," I said.  Then I paused.  "What you're saying is that the music makes you sad?"

He nodded again.

I thought I was going to cry - out of sheer joy . Why?  This student is autistic.  He has trouble expressing feelings and emotions.  Yet, through music, he is able to feel and express what's inside.  What a tremendous gift!  I feel so blessed that I have been able to share this gift with him.