A few weeks ago, Don McDowell, the chair of CSO's Board of Directors, urged me to read Thad Carhart's The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. I was surprised that I had never heard of this book, then I realized I was too busy being a student when it was published in 2000.
In this memoir, Carhart recounts how his love for piano reignited due to an encounter at a piano shop in his neighborhood in Paris. It is as though we are getting an exclusive and private tour of Paris, where most tourists will never get to experience.
This book had a few effects on me:
1. It motivated me to pull out my copy of Hanon and a few of my childhood piano books of sonatinas and sonatas. I have actually been practicing my electric (I know, yuck) piano consistently for the last few weeks. Much to the dismay of my son and our sweet dog Tomo, I hope this habit sticks!
2. It reminded me how important early exposure to music is to children.
3. I REALLY want to go back to Paris! When this pandemic is over, I would really like to take a trip to Paris and roam around small neighborhoods.
I hope you enjoy this book as much I did.
Happy Reading!
Kayoko
