Open Practice Makes Perfect

[Amy Jewel]

Amy's older sister had sent her a new piece of music that she thought Amy would like. Amy went to the Arts room, and luckily it was empty. It took her a while to learn music, and she felt more comfortable by herself. She had met a few other people with a passion for the arts here, but she felt that having a few moments by herself would be nice. She started to play the new piece, recognizing parts she had heard before. Nearly half way through the piece, Amy couldn't figure out the notes. She was a little disappointed, since she felt that she was getting it, but continued to play it. Practice makes perfect, as her Mum had always said, and all practice takes is time.

 

[Daniella Walker]

Daniella had decided to join the Conglomerated Arts Club as soon as she had heard that there existed a music room in the castle with a piano. Gods, she missed playing and hearing that there was actually one she could use excited her. This was one such day that she had decided to visit the music room that she had found out about. The Gryffindor skipped towards the room although stopped just as she reached the door, hearing music coming from inside. Music being played on the piano. The girl slowly opened the door and walked inside as slowly as she possibly could, not wanting to disturb whoever was playing the piece. She stayed silent and waited for the girl - seemingly her age - to finish before she would approach and compliment her on her skills.

 

[Amy Jewel]

Amy sighed. No matter how many times she played the part, she couldn't figure it out."Maybe I should write to Suni," she thought. She went to grab her bag and saw another student standing a few feet away, watching her."Oh!" Amy said."Hi. Did you want to play?"

 

[Daniella Walker]

Daniella waved shyly when the girl had finally noticed her presence. "I can wait," she said honestly as she walked closer to the girl and the piano. "That was a beautiful piece. Did you compose it yourself?" she asked, actually pretty interested. She didn't encounter much people that played the piano in Hogwarts, it was actually refreshing to meet someone she could actually relate with on a certain level.

 

[Amy Jewel]

Amy turned red when the girl said her music was sounded beautiful."Thank you. No, it's a piece my older sister sent me. I've only just started learning it." She smiled."I'm Amy." She held out her hand.

 

[Daniella Walker]

Daniella nodded in acknowledgment before taking the girl's hand and shaking it. "I'm Daniella," she said with a small smile of her own before turning back to the piano. "Do you know other pieces?" It had been too long - in her own opinion anyways - since she had been able to play it, and even longer still since she actually managed to find someone to converse and spend time with over music.

 

[Amy Jewel]

Amy nodded."I know a few, I can't remember the names of them though." She turned back to the piano and played another song. It was one of her favorites, slow to start then a bit faster. She switched to another one in the middle of it, this one a little more upbeat. She turned back to Daniella and said,"Do you know any?" She hopped of the piano stool. Maybe she could learn some new songs.

 

[Daniella Walker]

Daniella grinned as she watched Amy play pieces on the piano, nearly effortlessly switching songs in between. It was quite a feat and Dani was now quite sure that the girl had been playing the piano for a long time now. The Gryffindor clapped her hands after the girl was done. "A number," she said with a smile before taking a seat on the stool and beginning to play a song from one of the really old muggle movies she watched when she was younger. It was a slow melody and it left her feeling warmhearted when the piece was over just as it always did when she played. "How long have you been playing?"

 

[Amy Jewel]

Amy was impressed."That's so good!" She was excited that someone else could play."I've been playing since before I could remember, so a long time. But it's taken time. What about you? You play beautifully." Amy hoped that maybe she could get to know Daniella better. It would be good to have a friend with an interest in music. Especially someone who could play piano!

 

[Daniella Walker]

Daniella smiled at the girl's praise and was ecstatic. "Thank you," she said and was really glad that she had gotten to meet someone she could really get along with. "Since I was four or five? I fell in love when I found out that the songs I liked in muggle movies were piano pieces and I begged my parents to have me learn. I've been playing ever since," she said with a smile. "You play beautifully too and it's so good to meet someone that can play." And it was true! For the longest time, Dani had been wanting to find a friend that she could bond with over music and now it seemed that she actually found one.​

 

[Amy Jewel]

"Thank you! I agree, it's great to meet someone else that can play." Amy was super excited. Not many other people she had met at school were into playing."I've never tried any songs from Muggle movies. That's a great idea though! I've always played more classical pieces." Amy thought about maybe asking Suni if she could find sheet music to a song from a Muggle movie. Surely she would have heaps."I should look into that, I've never thought to try it before." Amy hoped that Daniella didn't mind her thinking about doing the same thing she was doing. Amy would hate to ruin a friendship because she did something the other person didn't like!

 

[Daniella Walker]

Dani nodded at Amy's words. She couldn't blame her for not having tried to play movie songs, classical pieces were the usual way to go when one was playing the piano, especially for a long time. "Classical pieces are quite fun and challenging," she said and wholeheartedly believed that. She had been playing for a long time, and that meant playing countless of classical pieces countless times just to keep her skills up to par and prevent them from rusting. But, she had always found the songs from muggle movies - especially the animated ones - or cartoons as they liked to call it, to be the ones that called to her heart the most. So, if she couldn't find a score, she always tried to figure out the pieces by ear. It was challenging but it was something she liked doing, "Though I find trying to figure out songs by ear more fun, especially when I find a particular song that I like." Dani positively beamed though when Amy had said that she'd be trying it as well. If that didn't get the Gryffindor excited, then she didn't know what would. "You should! Muggles have a huge repertoire," she said rather excitedly, just barely keeping herself from jumping up and down.​

 

[Amy Jewel]

Amy nodded."I definitely agree, classical pieces are challenging. I've never tried learning something by ear. Is it hard?" Amy did know that she had a good ear, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to do this.