TOW #26 Every Good Boy Does Fine

            Piano lessons are often considered a rite of passage for young children.  In the “Personal History” section of the New Yorker in a piece titled “Every Good Boy Does Fine,” concert pianist Jeremy Denk describes his own experiences with piano lessons and explains how they shaped not only his career but also his understanding of himself.  Denk recounts his own personal history based on the various piano teachers he has had at different points throughout his life.

            As a professional musician, Denk obviously has a much greater knowledge of classical music and music theory than his audience.  For this reason, he employs analogies to make the musical complexities he describes more accessible to average readers.  For example, to enable readers to understand the hopelessness of practicing fingering techniques, Denk writes, “Imagine that you are scrubbing the grout in your bathroom and are told that removing every last particle of mildew will somehow enable you to deliver the Gettysburg Address.”  In addition, Denk utilizes hyperbole as a method of explaining the monotony of some of his practices.  He writes, “Exercises like this are crucial and yet seem intended to quell any natural enthusiasm for music, or possibly even for life.”

            By explaining the different techniques his instructors utilized while teaching, Denk paints a picture of the personalities of these people beyond the realm of classical music.  Also, Denk writes of the hard work required to achieve success as a musician and the fine line that a teacher must walk between critiquing a student’s work and destroying his/her confidence.  As a pianist himself, Denk’s description of the power of music lessons carries a unique sense of credibility.