Notes on Love: Stories of Monica and Max - Jonah R.

Hand-crafted by Monica, these piano flash cards became the building blocks of Jonah’s musical journey.

I remember we were at the Bullucks, and Monica was playing Piano, and Pete had just made alligator! I sat down beside Monica and she started to teach a simple version of Heart & Soul; Heart & Soul is now the first song I try to teach anyone that sits down beside me when I’m teaching piano. 

After taking interest that night in playing the piano, my parents asked if Monica would be willing to spend more time with me - from there it was history. 

I started going to piano lessons every Tuesday or Wednesday night, we had no special piano books to teach the basics, so Monica created note cards - consisting of every note on treble/bass clef, whole notes, half notes, eight notes, tempos, dynamics and many others. I studied these note cards religiously. I still have these note cards stored away in my piano seat today! 

After a few weeks of lessons and studying, I showed up one night in December to find that Monica had hand transposed “O Christmas Tree” for me - this is only one piece of many others that I still have and pull out from time to time. Not sure I truly appreciated the time and effort she put in for me to foster love for music. 

After Monica moved from North Carolina, we struggled to find another piano teacher with the same passion. When I locked in with a new Piano teacher, parents and students would walk in after my lesson to hear me play. A parent once said, “I want my daughter to be able to play like that!” My teacher responded, “that can’t be taught” . . . . .  but Monica did.

However, by Monica building a solid foundation and understanding of music, I would go on to play piano at weddings, receptions, recitals, churches and win Piano Olympics in Eastern NC. I also would pick up Alto, Tenor, and Baritone saxophone in grade school.

My fingering is a little unorthodox and I tend to use my index finger for position ‘3’ rather than middle finger. Most traditional books teach it that way , but Monica allowed freedom and never tried to restrict individuality; most teachers after her tried to break the habit of using 2 vs 3 , but I still play this way because Monica let me go with whatever was comfortable. 

I say all of this to say that I would not have been afforded the same life experiences if it weren’t for Monica teaching a little brown skinned boy from small town North Carolina the art of music. 

Best, 

Jonah