VOA常速英语:云上钢琴

I came to the States in 1992.I fell in love with an American guy.He fell in love with me.We met in Moscow through my friend.Five months later, I was here and I love this country.I have Master’s degree in both, Master’s degree in singing, vocal and Master’s degree in piano.I couldn't do nothing for more than a year. I started learning English,then I start teaching students and then I opened my first school.It was in 1998.Oh, who do I see, Zade, Hello, Good to see you!Hi.Hi. Well, Zade, are you hungry? No, I just ate lunch. Perfect! Perfect timing then for music! Ok, let me see.What you are going to play for me first? Song eight. Song eight? My favorite. Let's do it.

It was my dream actually for a long time because I have students that used to be here with me, and then they left to another state and I always thought, how is that to do it online. Maybe, one day I will figure it out. But this time,I was forced to figure it out, so I did. With coronavirus, because one day they said, schools are closed, cannot run the business. Okay, so one week I did't know what to do. But then I started calling them and I said, Would you like to try online? And some parents say, "Yes, please, we need it!" And some parents say, "Online? What is that? How do you do that?" That's right, very good! OK, can you play this now a little faster? So, the teacher is on the screen, the student is on the other side of the screen and it can be directed through their hands. There is a camera that is movable around, so I can direct it on the notes, I can point to the notes. I can point to the keyboard. You know, it's probably not that difficult to do. The difficult part is how to make them interested online because you are not there, cannot point at the notes and you cannot do personal things that you do when they are here. So, it is actually hard work. It's part of their daily learning. I mean they just use the internet all the time and it's not strange for them. My kids seem to adapt pretty well. The only thing is I have to be very careful that at home, we have a quiet environment and they are not distracted with other things, because at least in the classroom setting that's it, they are forced to focus. But at home, you know, if we are walking or around doing other things, it's possible that they can get distracted. Of course, it takes away personal approach and smiles and the movements. It does but these days,everything is on the screen, and we could be there on the screen or we could be not on the screen, so we lose. It's better to be there. Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I made a wish…