The Conservatory
The Conservatory In 1986, the conservatory of music in Madrid, Spain was one of the best piano schools in the world. Many piano masters from that time graduated out of that school. It had the best piano teachers, the best students, and everyone that went there wanted to become a musician or was very serious about music. The school was not perfect, though, because it was very expensive and only the highest class of society could afford it. So it was very unfortunate for the people with skills that had no money. This was the case for Andres. Andres was the son of the cleaning lady of the conservatory of music, she had been cleaning there for over 15 years, even before her son was born. She had no family in Madrid because she came from a small town called Santander, in the northern part of Spain. She needed a job and that was the only one she could find, so she kept it. Andres's father left him before he was born, so whenever his mom went to work at the conservatory, he went with her and helped. Going to the conservatory every single day made him come to love classical music. He would just sit there for hours and listen to people play the piano. �Mom I want to play the piano?� Andres said to his mom after 11 years of being at the Conservatory. �Come on Andres, don't say stupid things like that, you know that is not possible. We could never afford for you to have lessons and you know it,� his mom said with a sad look on her face. �But mom there was to be a way for me to take piano lessons, what if I get a job and save up for piano lessons?� Andres questioned. �Stop it, I don't want to argue about this anymore, now help me finish this floor.� his mom scolded. Andres was so miserable everyday of his life, knowing that he had the best piano school around him everyday and no matter how bad he wanted to learn he couldn't. One day, on the way to work, Andres asked his mom �Mom what if you talk to Carlos and ask him if he could let me take some piano lessons for free, I mean he is the director of the school and since you have been working there for so long maybe he could do that for us.� His mom answered, �You really want to play the piano don't you?� �Yes mom I really do� Andres responded with the biggest smile on his face. �Ok, I will talk to Carlos today.� His mom exclaimed. Andres hugged his mom and said.� Thank you so much.� Andres was very anxious that day and couldn't wait until Carlos got to the conservatory at 2:00 P.M. so that his mom could talk to him. When Carlos got to the conservatory Adriana was very nervous because she knew it was a very stupid idea to go and talk to him about the situation, but she was willing to do it for her son. �Hello Carlos could I talk to you for a second?� Andres' mom asked. �What do you want?� He answered shortly because he was reading some papers and not really paying to much attention to her. She started, � You know my son and I have been working here for many years now, and he has listened to piano music all of his life and he really loves it. Well, I was wondering if you could give him the opportunity to take lessons in this school. But, as you know, we don't have any money to pay that much, so if there is a way for him to have his lessons for free I would really appreciate it.� �Adriana please take a seat?� Carlos started, �I'm sorry to tell you this but all the parents in this institution pay a lot of money for their children to attend this school. Also, they all come from upper class families and what do you think they would say if the son of the cleaning lady took lessons here for free? I'm very sorry but that won't be possible. Do you think you could get me a cup of coffee?� �Sure� Adriana responded trying really hard not to let the tears out. After that conversation with Carlos, Adriana was really depressed. It killed her to know that no matter how bad she wanted it, she couldn't give her son what he wanted most because of money. Adriana went and talked to Andres right after her conversation with Carlos and told him the news. He really wasn't surprised at all. He already expected that answer so he wasn't going to spend his time crying or being sad about that. Instead he had already come up with another plan. Everyday after 6:00 P.M. everyone in the conservatory would leave, except him and his mom. They stayed until 9:00 P.M. to clean up and if he wasn't going to be able to take lessons he decided to try to learn by himself. So he decided to go in to a practice room every night after everyone left and teach himself the music. So that is what he did, and for about 6 months it worked perfectly for him. He was supposed to clean the top floor where all the pianos where so if he practiced, she wouldn't be able to hear anything. And that is exactly what he did. He made sure to clean really fast and then he was able to practice for about two hours everyday. Everything was working perfectly fine for Andres, he was improving with each day. He was very surprised with what he was able to learn without anyone teaching him. One day, one of the piano teachers stayed after but Andres didn't know, so he went and practiced like any normal day and the piano teacher heard him. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary to hear a student play the piano there, but to Mr. Perez it was strange to hear someone playing that late and he really liked the clarity and beauty of the way this student was playing. So Mr. Perez went to the fifth floor and opened the door where Andres was practicing, � Mr. Perez!� Andres said frightened. �Andres what are you doing here?� �I'm just� �You know darn well you can't be playing in this piano, this are just for students and if Carlos was to find out he would fire you and your mom.� Mr. Perez interrupted. �But Mr. Perez all I want to do is play the piano, please don't tell Carlos. You know I can't afford piano lessons like all the other kids that go here, so all I can do is teach my self, but I am a hundred percent sure that I want to be a pianist and I don't know what to do.� Andres said while tears were coming out of his eyes. �Mmmm well I think I can help you if you really want to be a pianist but I would have to figure something out.� �Really, what is it? How can you help me?� �Well there is this piano hearing in 2 months and teachers from all over the world are going to be there. They are going to pick 20 students and give them scholarships to the conservatory of Moscow, in Russia. There is one problem though, you need a teacher to sign you up and if I do Carlos will probably fire me because you are not a former student of the conservatory.� �Mr. Perez please sign me up, I will try my hardest, I will practice so much you won't regret it. You don't have to tell Carlos that you signed me up.� �Well, I guess I could do that for you, but the only reason why I'm doing this is because if you really learned that song by yourself you really have talent. But, you are going to play what I tell you to play and I'm going to come help you every night at around this time.� �Really Mr. Perez! Thank you so much, you don't know how much I appreciate this, this will change my life.� From then on, for five days a week, Mr. Perez helped Andres from 7 to 9 and Mr. Perez was very impressed that with only a few months of playing Andres was able to play Sonatas From Beethoven that students that had taken piano lessons for years weren't able to play. One day before the hearing Mr. Perez told Adriana what had been going on and she could not believe it, she was so happy for her son but at the same time she was scared that she was going to get fired if Carlos saw Andres playing at the hearing. The day of the Hearing finally came, and Andres was more exited than ever.
Copyright © 2005 Alfredo Velazquez Rodriguez Velazquez |