In my last column I wrote that during this pandemic I was determined to improve my piano playing by practicing every day. As I predicted I've fallen short of doing that, but every two or three days I do find time to work at it.

It was my father's idea that I should learn to play the piano. There was a music teacher who came to the little school in Callicoon Center periodically. At the beginning of the school year she would ask who wanted to take piano lessons.

My dad was a teacher at that school and at the approximate age of seven I was reluctant to raise my hand but then my father would give me a look and I knew he was silently urging me to do it. I was against it right away when I heard the other kids outside playing while I was stuck inside after school sitting in confinement at the school piano with the music teacher.

The requirement of an hour practice every day wasn't a popular concept with me either and I would spend as much time going back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, as I did practicing. Why was I doing that? Because that's where the clock was and I was anxious for that hour to be over.

In the summer my dad tried a new tactic. Professor Hagel, who played violin with the Sigmund Romberg Orchestra, had a summer home in our area. I began taking lessons from him. My dad was very impressed with him though he made fun of his accent. “Vun unt do unt tree mit der dum.” My father, Clarence Krantz of German descent himself, would imitate him after he left and then crack himself up over it. One Sunday we were invited to Prof. Hagel's home where a few ladies who were friends of his wife, were also guests. I played Ave Maria on the piano and Prof. Hagel played his violin.

I remember getting much applause and compliments and my teacher jokingly complained that no one had complimented him. Stay tuned for more of my piano challenges in two weeks.