ALWAYS NEW ON NEW YEAR'S EVE
Everywhere I go, there is always a new colleague when I perform on New Year's Eve countdown. In 1992, I am with Willie dela Cruz and Wilson Prima; in 1993, with Willia and a duo from Guam; 1994--in this photo with Mike Hernandez (not related to me) of Condition 4 Band of Guam; 1995 --with Marco Rejano and Herman Moral. All of those were performed at Image Restaurant. (Photo by Ma. Florida M. Hernandez)
'SOUNDLESS' PIANO
IN 1978-1979, while working as extra in-house artist/waiter at The Plaza Restaurant in Makati, Philippines, I enrolled at Yamaha School of Music. My parents can’t afford the expensive tuition fee so I’ve worked hard to get some extra income to sustain my study.
It’s been about 15 years ago since I read music notes. I have completely forgotten how to read notes. It’s not like learning to ride a bicycle or learning how to swim that once you’ve learned it, you’ll never forget it.
I can play already some songs on piano “by ear” only, not by notes. My teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, don’t allow me to play by ear. The teaching then was very commercial. I have to wear a uniform and have to buy it there for a price. She sold me also a book where I have to practice my assignment at home. I’m using the upright piano of The Plaza Restaurant.
One day, the restaurant’s messenger Nemesio Montefar, saw me practicing and said,“You’re not supposed to play that.” The daughter of the owner of the restaurant saw me once playing it and didn’t say nothing because when I’m playing, it’s good to the ear already. I just need to improve and regain my knowledge in reading notes.
Nemesio locked the piano with its skeleton key. I can’t practice anymore. I thought of an idea – there is a square white table beside my locker room. I used a marker and a ruler to draw the piano keys on the table. I marked even the black ones for sharp and flat keys. IT’S THE MOST DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE A MUSICIAN/STUDENT CAN GET. The keys don’t produce a sound so you’ll never know if you’re out of tune. The keys don’t go down also. The feeling of playing a soundless piano is really terrible. My best friend Edgar saw me and said, “I think my friend is losing his mind”.
My idea is useless but the other is effective—I know that the piano’s skeleton key is just a straight piece of metal with one part sticking out before its far end. I’ve got one 2-inch small iron which is bended at the end. It’s the same size of a 3-inch common nail.
I tried it and voila! I was able to open it and resume my practice. Nemesio saw me again and said, “I’ve closed it already. How did you open it again?” I just keep quiet. He locked it again. When he’s not around, or day off, I opened it again and practice.
I don’t know why he’s doing it to me. Maybe he’s thinking, if I’ll become good in music, I’ll be better financially than him and he’ll stay a messenger all his life.
One day at lunch time, the other daughter of the owner noticed the very lonely atmosphere at Branding Iron (steak house of the restaurant) and there is a Yamaha baby grand piano there. She asked the Banquet Manager Teresita Reyes to look for a pianist and she recommended me.
My first two hours of performance was the most difficult. I know only more than 20 songs at that time. After one hour, I have played already all those songs. The early guests have left already so I played the same songs again to the late guests.
That is the longest 2 hours of my music career! Today, it will take more than a month to play all the songs from my repertoire—less than 2,000 international songs.
I have forgiven Nemesio for what he had done to me. Many co-employees of us thought that he will never find a wife because he’s too shy. My wife and I introduced him to our lady neighbor and now they have 2 kids, and living an ordinary and peaceful life.
Tia Belau Newspaper
Volume 21
Issue 20
April 12, 2012
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