"Keys" by Jade M, Age 11, Class 3

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Keys

I’ve always wanted to be a Professional Piano Player… but Mum says that I am not good enough. She isn’t that well… encouraging, I had to beg her for weeks just to let me have Piano lessons. I use to sit and watch the ladies in beautiful evening dresses playing the Piano, so freely and easily. I tried wearing a nice long evening dress… it got stuck in the pedals and I bashed my head on the shiny black and white keys. I stick to wearing knee length trousers now. My Piano teacher says that I’m gifted with the Piano… well for someone of my age. I am only thirteen and I only started having lessons a year and a bit ago. My name is Lara Keys, I’m thirteen years old, I go to Bebbek Secondary School and I live in Westwend, (England of course!). I want to enter in the Music show that we have every year at school. Any one can enter, they can sing, play an instrument or even create a band. There’s a cool prize for first place and money for second and third. Fourth and Fifth get a bag of Chocolate Maltesers. I’ve never entered before so I am a bit nervous… and I think I’m going to need to practice a bit more. But I didn’t realize that I only have only four days to get ready!

I’m not wearing anything special, just Jeans and a top, no make-up, old trainers. I don’t care what I look like, or if I’m wearing any make-up… all I care about is what I sound like. It’s Tuesday and the Concert is on Friday… I’m on my way to my Piano Lesson, it’s Summer and the lovely, bright velvet leaves on the chestnut trees are everywhere. I knocked on Mr T’s front door, I was excited… but I didn’t get home until half Six in the evening. Mum was furious and said that I wasn’t going to bed until I had done all four pieces of my homework.

I was really tired at school the next day… all I could think about was the concert and that I needed to practice. It’s Wednesday and I haven’t got a Piano Lesson today, I’ve just got to think of the song that I’m going to play. I could even just play a Tune that I’ve made up.
I’ve decided what song I’m going to play… can’t tell you! It’s a secret!

On Thursday I just about convinced Mum to let me have an extra Piano Lesson. I played my song to Mr T, he really helped me improve it.

It’s Friday and I’m standing next to the curtain looking out at the stage, the band that was going to play looked good, there was a boy playing a keyboard… he looked really good. They were all dressed really smartly, I was wearing a grey top and black jeans. The girls behind me laughed and giggled at me. The four of them were singing a song together. They were borrowing the school’s P.A system… I was borrowing the school’s Piano from the music room. It isn’t the best Piano in the world but it will do.

The band started to play, they sounded so good… I went back stage, I had forgot that I have stage fright! There’s nine entries including me and I’m last. There’s only going to be four entries that don’t win anything… I have an awful feeling that I’m going to be one of them. It’s on the 8th entry, the group of girl singers. Their voices sound unreal, like they’re just mouthing the words… but they’re definitely not. As they finished everybody clapped and cheered so loud that I had to cup my hands over my ears. They came off the stage and the curtains closed, the care taker and a couple of other teachers started to drag the Piano on… I was next. I sat down on the small leather stall and stretched my fingers… I looked around for my Back pack, it was nowhere in sight. I had left it backstage! It had my song in there. The Headmaster started to introduce me. I jumped up and ran off the stage, when I got backstage and rummaged through my bag. I could hear the curtains slowly opening,
“Gotcha!” I shouted, pulling the two large pieces of Paper out. I ran back on stage and sat back down just in time, for me to be in sight of the audience. Everybody stared at me… waiting for me to play. My breath became faster and my heart pumped and pushed against my rib cage. I took a very long, and a very deep breath and started to play.

As I hit my finger down on the last white key I stopped, my heart become calmer and my breathing slowed down. For one moment there was just silence… I gulped and then took a sigh of relief, they were clapping for me!

I didn’t win first place… but I did come second! I got £25 and a mini bag of Jelly Babies. The girl’s singing came first, they deserved it… they must of worked so hard to get it as good as it was. The Band came Third and they got £15 and a mini bag of cola bottles each. Mum was so pleased and now she thinks that I am a good Piano Player… because I know I am to!

By Jade M
Age 11
Class 3
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