THE SURROUNDING MASTER — ENCOURAGING THE SMALL GIFT
I was able to use the following story about Poland’s famous concert pianist and prime minister, Ignace Paderewski which I found in Leadership: A mother, wishing to encourage her young son’s progress at the piano, bought tickets for a Paderewski performance. When the night arrived, they found their seats near the front of the concert hall and eyed the majestic Steinway waiting on stage. Soon the mother found a friend to talk to, and the boy slipped away. When eight o’clock arrived, the spotlights came on, the audience quieted, and only then did they notice the boy up on the bench, innocently picking out, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star.” His mother gasped, but before she could retrieve her son, the master appeared on the stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, “Don’t quit — keep playing.” Leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part.…
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