To Be A Russian Pianist In France

My name is Masha. I am a musician and a tutor for those who want to learn how to play the piano . I live in the suburbs of Paris. Today I will be talking about my job. It is quiet simple but I put heart in it… Like most musicians do. And I am so glad when even the worst pupil starts playing well! Finally I feel it happened because of me! It was me who taught him! I will tell you about my Sundays. It was the 13th of November. A warm and sunny day in Paris.

My work begins at 9:15 ( but usually it starts at 10:15) so I get up at 8:00. Although the whole week was rather warm in the morning I feel that it is a bit cold. So I turn on the heating.

Before cleaning my teeth I glance at the ceiling … Two weeks ago the roof stopped being water proof… So now our while amazing ceiling looks awful. Our insurance company gives us money to repair it.

It turns out that we have run out of bread so I head to the nearest shop. Luckily it is very close to the house so I go there wearing no make-up and heels. They have plenty of yummy stuff there. And all the goods are displayed in the shop-window.

This is a well-known delicacy which is actually a very thin pancake, a little bit crispy with a topping between two pieces. They are really expensive in our local shop.

This bread is so amazing. The flavor and the scent… I don’t know how to describe it! And the bread is still warm ! I won’t be able to carry the whole thing to my place . So I start eating it right in the doorway of the bakery.

On my way home I ate the whole half of it. Seems like I have had my breakfast! My husband left some butter, milk , coffee and toasts for me.

The sun is appearing from somewhere and it is getting warm . The day seems unusually good for a November one.

I got out on my balcony. Here is my favorite plant. Having breakfast here is not a good idea as it is still too cool here.

My plant got new leaves and only now I noticed that it’s leaves are too dusty. I should make them clean and shiny.

My strawberries are still raw. They are just too good looking . Nothing more. I know they are still green inside.

Because of the good weather I will be wearing a fancy dress.

So here I am!

And finally my favorite lip balm!

I got my warm coat on and a scarf of course. On Sunday mornings the roads are very empty. So I stopped in the middle of the road and made a picture. Today I am going to my pupils. Time means a lot.

I am at my work in my class. Russian composers rock in here! Under Ttchaikovsky there is a little drawing with a poem: “A guitar and a clarinet are also instruments like a tube! Not an elephant! ” For a long time I was thinking what the hell that means. Why not an elephant. How has it got here. Later one of the parents told me that kids usually think that this word rhymes with the word ‘ instrument’. OK. Let it be so!

My oldest of the pupils is Fransua. He is about thirty! He decided to take my lesson the last year. He likes it a lot.

This guy is thirteen. I have been learning him for four years. He is brilliant, handsome and he is always in style. )) This year I am preparing him for a competition.

It is the first piece for the competition all covered with my remarks.

This is the second piece. We just took it. And my remarks are for him to learn it properly at home.

Next comes Olinka (stress on the last syllable). She has Russian parent so that is why she has such a pretty name. Under her coat was just a thin pajama so I ordered to put on an extra sweater that was taken by her nanny just in case.

She holds her hands perfectly! Today we are learning how to play in different style.

But it is difficult for her. And the melody gets worse.

So it is already 11:00 am. And here comes my lovely pupil. Her name is Klara and she is nine. We are studying for three years and she is brilliant. She is shy and very polite. Always keeps asking serious questions that are not usually appearing in kid’s minds. She is very hard working. It ia always a pleasure for her to learn something new.

She likes playing very fast so I decided to give her another type of melody so that she will earn to show different characters in music.

Finally my really difficult pupil. She is eight and her name is Alice. She is a good girl but really lazy although she is full of energy. She never does anything at home. She is really difficult to teach. Her fingers are always covered in ring and every lessons begins with the process of her putting all them off. Disaster! But today I noticed something even worse… long and dirty nails!

So I made her to take the pencil and write a note. It says : “Cut off the nails!”

This is my dinner with my colleague Stephany. Mmmm! Yummy!

It is 2:30 am and I am at the place of my next pupil. This place is one of the most beautiful ones.

This place is one of the best for walking or doing sports. It is so awesome here.

The Sun is warm and the couples enjoy it’s heat.

This place is famous because of Claud Monet. He was painting his works of art here.

That is how his painting would look like if he painted today.

Got into the building.

This is my pupil. Her name is Christina and she is thirteen. A real beauty. We met only a year ago so she is not really good now. And she can study only once week in tow as her parents are divorced and the piano is in her father’s apartment.

I am still at this building but at another apartment. Claude is only four but she is really good.))

So I am again outside. Local aristocrats are always walking here on Sundays.

Along the river stay a lot of barges. All so different and amazing. For example this one has a terrace near the water. Lovely!

And this barge looks like a floating house. You can see a library through the window.)) Amazing!

Here is also a garden of love is situated. A rally handsome pair looks so wonderful that I decided to take a picture of them.

Now it is 3:20 am . I am late for my next class. This is my favorite apartment! Here lives Mary Domminik. She is a mother of six children! Really well-bread as she is from an intelligent family. Eeach of her children plays an instrument. Cute. This room is full of light. Sitting here just takes my breath away!

We decided to end our lesson a little bit early. You know I have to hurry to the next place.)

So the time is 4:10 am. A girl of nine years old opens the door. She is wearing way too much make-up. I was going to read her a lecture but she managed to explain everything . It turned out that her friends decided to celebrate Halloween as they had missed it previously. I feel relieved)

The time is 5:15 pm . I am back home and I am exhausted. I decided to take a nap but here comes a message from one of my students. So I grab my lappy and download the promised melody. I have chosen the best version and send it to my pupil.

At 7:30 pm arrives my husband and we head to one of the concerts that his friend is holding. I can see where my husband had a snack )

We got into a traffic jam so we were late for the play. Got only for the final scenes. In the car we were of course arguing . I have no pictures of that)

And here is the stage for the concert. There is an iPod fixed to the micro! Genius! It is for the leading singer to remember the text! Amazing!

And here appears Alan! I hasn’t seen him for ages. He is actually a dentist and lives in USA but now he quited and decided to sing. So he is looking for companions now.

Girls love him and keep dancing!

We are waiting for him in the hall. He got to the stage practically just off his plane.

It is midnight and everything is closed. We are driving Alan to his sister’s place.

The guys decided to bring back in mind their youth and get all high. It happens exactly in the car. My husband suggested me that stuff. I agreed) Gratefully)