Your Piano Teacher or Your Waiter?
You sit down at your local restaurant, your waiter approaches you, and he kindly asks if you’d like to start your meal with a beverage other then water. It’s a situation that you and even your children are used to but who is that person serving you? It could be your Piano Teacher.
He Could Be An Amazing Piano Teacher
Amore Francis in 2006 was just this person. With a music degree in hand he was waiting tables in Atlanta, GA, had 3 piano students and wanted to teach and perform more then he was. Not every great pianist gets to just perform and teach with ease. Sometimes it’s a grind.
Yours Truly Was Also Your Waiter Too
I relate to this story because in 1997 when I started Lessons In Your Home I was also waiting tables, playing in a band and had my first 6 students. Successful musicians work hard but we love the work.
Hey Ma, Look, I’m Doing It!
When Amore told his family he wanted to pursue his passion for music his family supported him like all great families do. Amore is from St Thomas and he family felt comfortable with him studying in Georgia where his uncle lived. He was accepted at many universities including the Berkley College of Music but as many of us believe, families important and he decided on Kennesaw State University to get his Bachelors degree in music and soon to be Maters Degree.
I’m sure Amore when thinking about pursuing his degree wasn’t thinking man I’m going to teach a bunch of private students when I graduate but “life gives us what we need” says Amore. He currently teaches 48 students per week and his students have participated in so many music events, festivals, and recitals there are to many to list. Some have also gone on to study music in college.
The Performer Still Lives
In addition to teaching, Amore Francis is one heck of a pianist. In recent years he’s performed and given workshops in Paris, France and Beijing China. In China he was part of a workshop and performance series examining music from different cultures. He was asked to be a part by his piano professor from St Thomas, Dr. Lorna Young-Wright, with whom he studied piano in his grade school years.
Where Do Our Private Teachers Come From?
We don’t always ask where our favorite teachers come from but we should. Part of a teacher’s job is to inspire and their story can be inspiring enough. Amore and I laughed when taking about our days in the restaurant biz taking orders and dealing with trials and tribulations of serving the masses. We really enjoy though taking about our piano lessons.
Piano lessons and music lessons the like are the one thing most of us at Lessons In Your Home have in common. Our crazy, fun, intense, and inspiring personalities that made us musicians keep us thinking about how to always do our best. Be it teaching private lessons or performing all over the world.