Avery Cohen is in the music program at Danbury Public Schools in Connecticut. He's in 3rd grade and loves to play the piano.
When I’m playing my favorite songs or my own songs, I feel like no one else is there. If I listen to a song I really like and play around with it enough, I can teach myself how to play it by ear. The more songs I learn to play, the more songs I can figure out by ear. I taught myself how to play, “You are my Sunshine,” to surprise my mom when I was five years old. Sometimes I teach myself the next song in my piano book even when my teacher says I’m not ready yet. Playing music has taught me how to believe in myself.
I love to play, Shinichi Suzuki’s version of “French Children’s Song”. I also love to make up my own songs using things I’ve learned in my lessons and things I hear in other songs that I like, to make a new sound.
Other than playing the piano, I love to draw in my sketchbook, building with Legos to make new things and playing baseball. I also enjoy skiing and I love spending time with my friends, my family and my dog, Gypsy.
Math and music class. I liked trying to use the new strategies I learn to solve problems.
I want to keep learning and playing more piano songs.