My question to him: Was he going to practice step by step, delaying instant gratification, the kind you get when you attach a bunch of formula chords to an appealing melody, thinking that's all there is to life and Art. Add in impossibly awkward fingering, and a deaf ear to dynamics and detail. It's all over, right? It's easy to text message on a micro key pad so why not apply the technique to make 'Liz' sound really impressive to his friends and family.. add in a few members of the varsity tennis team at a brand new suburban high school.

He thought about my question for a deliberate 3 minutes, and agreed that he would have to separate the left hand part from the right; do the necessary "housekeeping" by using a practical fingering to realize the smooth, legato, connectedness of phrases and not to rush his tempo before its time had come to ripen. We had a verbal understanding at least, that laid the ground rules for proceeding as teacher and student on our collective musical journey.

It took Alex about 6 months of intensive, applied practicing to master all of the right hand part with its mosaic of spun out, meandering melody. And just as diligently, he practiced his left hand, learning to swing his arms in big circles through an arpeggiated bass line. I meant to say, a broken chord pattern that gives a kinesthetic, psycho-affective rush to the player.. almost like he's surfing the waves.

So Alex is almost there now going into the seventh month of pursuing 'Liz', and he's not  treading water anymore. He's sailing through the piece holding his head high against a refreshing breeze.

In another month or two, I predict he will have mastered 'Liz' and taken her on as his own like one of those Little Mermaids. Pieces become part of you when you are patient and hard working. Alex is well on his way, and his teacher is a just few laps ahead bringing 'Liz' to You Tube.