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WISHING TO ENCOURAGE her young son’s progress on the piano,
a mother took her boy to a recital by the great pianist Jan
Ignace Paderewski. After they were seated, the mother spotted a
friend in the audience, and walked down the aisle to greet her.
SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY to explore the wonders of the concert
hall, the little boy rose from his seat and began to look around.
Eventually he explored his way, unnoticed, through a door marked “No Admittance.”
As the door closed behind him, the house lights in the auditorium
began to dim, and an anticipatory hush came over the audience.
THE MOTHER QUICKLY RETURNED to her seat, only to discover with
dismay that the child was missing in the now darkened hall. Before
she could begin to search for him, the stage curtains parted, and
the floodlights came up on the impressive Steinway grand
piano placed front and center on the stage. In surprise and shock,
the mother saw her young son sitting intently at the keyboard, innocently picking out the tune to
“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” oblivious to his surroundings.
AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT, the legendary musician himself made his
entrance and quickly moved to the piano, signaling to the audience
to remain quiet. He whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit, keep on playing.”
 LEANING OVER THE BOY, Paderewski reached down with his left
hand and began filling in a bass part. Then his right arm reached
around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the venerable old master and the young novice transformed
a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was mesmerized.
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