Retired (not!)--refired!(The Back Page)

After 40 years of sharing music, I thought I had retired. There had been the 40th-anniversary recital called "The Farewell Recital" ... the turning over of important historical musical finds ... the emotionally difficult task of attempting to carefully place each student with another teacher ... the goodbyes ... the selling of some of my nine pianos, computer and piano labs ... the physical breaking up of a professional studio, enhanced and expanded over 40 years ... the selling of the house and many possessions ... packing ... more goodbyes ... and then the actual move to Florida. Then I waited for the arrival of my concert grand and digital pianos ... the complete lifestyle change and the wonderful part--the finally-being-together-all-the-time part with my husband of 45 years.

It didn't take long to hit me: once a teacher--always a teacher. I could not be retired--I was refired! (1) And, unquestionably, MTNA had helped make it happen.

Attending MTNA National Conferences had always been an important annual goal--sometimes achieved, sometimes not. One day, I came across a cassette tape purchased at the 2001 MTNA National Conference. The session had been on Internet teaching and was, in my opinion, ahead of its time. (2)

A few former students had absolutely refused to be placed with other teachers upon my retirement. That had worried me. One adult student had previously worked on the Internet--she and her husband had setup video cameras so their parents, in a different city, could see and talk to their grandchildren and watch them grow. We suddenly got excited and fired up about the possibilities before us. Why not continue our lessons together--on the Internet?

Soon the computer was up and running. My former studio had been equipped with a great deal of technology for many years. A high-speed piano lab was in my previous studio and a specific lab curriculum had been developed and required for all my students, in addition to each private lesson, regardless of the student's level. In my new location, like the former studio, the Roland digital piano was MIDI interfaced to the computer. A computer consultant was hired and our access to the Internet was elevated from dial-up to DSL. Finally, we were ready to get started. The next step? The adult student and I set up identical video cameras with built-in microphones. I also purchased a router. My hardware investment was less than $200. The necessary software was already in my Windows XP package, so there was no need to purchase any new software.

By now, the student and I were really excited, or in my case, refired! After a few tries and overcoming a few minor glitches, we connected. And there we were--1,000 miles apart, talking and working together again as though we were in the same room. It was exhilarating, and I knew for certain that I was not retiring. Slowing down, perhaps, but total retirement? No way!