How To Figure Out Who is Practicing the Piano in the Jensen Home Without Looking
Elaina, age 4
When Lain plays, it may sound like your typical kid smashing the notes on the piano. However, if you were to listen more closely, you'll hear her trying to imitate the techniques of mine and Josh's pieces. If you hear cluster chords being played loudly in quick succession, it's her. Also, you may hear choppy arpeggio/scale/trill attempts every once in a while. It sounds a bit like a complex impressionistic 20th century piano piece...
Kate, age 7
If you hear any improvisational variations on the "I'm An Indian" melody or the accompaniment of "Heart and Soul," it's Kate. For now, that's all she knows. It's often obnoxious when listened to over and over, but she doesn't usually play for more than a few minutes at a time. However, when one listens to her improvise with those simple chords it is apparent that she has a natural ability to play by ear. You'll hear scales and chords that are a bit choppy, but fairly consistent. You also might hear her singing along with the chords, as well. She has the cutest little voice, and it'll be unmistakeable. :) That's little KT.
Izzy, age 11
The Biz is practicing if you're hearing the same phrases being repeated consistently over and over and over and over and over. The melodies will be played very slowly and loudly and harshly most often. You can nearly hear the tension in the attempts to nail the difficult ornaments or scales. However, you'll continue to hear the same lines repeating themselves up to 50 times. Eventually, the trills and turns that were worked on for so will become fairly smooth and pleasant to listen to. It's also a sure sign that Iz is playing if it's quite late at night, for she always makes sure to put in her allotted practice time no matter what time of day it may be. This girl certainly is a patient and diligent one.
Josh, age 14
You'll know it's this kid if, first of all, it sounds extremely loud. He will have most likely left the lid to the piano up all the way with the practice room door wide open for all the world to hear. Of the three classical pianists of the home, he has the largest and strongest hands. Thus, if you hear incredibly loud, skilled, randomized runs of octaves in both hands, you have a safe bet it is Josh. Also, ornaments will have been inserted into songs where they do not originally belong. Listen for prolonged and slightly disorganized trills or turns in an otherwise logically-sequenced piece of music. It's just Josh jazzin' it up. Listen for strong improvisation, for some of Josh's best tools are his ears. He can hear a melody once and immediately turn to the piano to play a beautified accompaniment of his own creation. If you hear slightly halting chords and melodies being played different ways every time they are repeated, odds are he is composing his own song. The climactic point of the piece will most likely be played at fortississimo with tons of bass and massive complex chords and arpeggios. The melodies with grow smoother and more expressive as you listen over the course of a few minutes, and soon you'll have the privilege of witnessing the early compositions of a great future composer. That's our Josh.
Olivia, age 16
I'm not entirely sure what my practicing sounds like to the outside listener, actually. I should hope that you could safely assume it's me playing if you hear me trying to create distinct phrasing and expression in the music. If you hear the same phrase played over and over with different tones or dynamics, it's probably me attempting to perfect the piece's musicality. Also, if you hear an obnoxiously large amount of presto drilling, I am probably the practicer. (Ha ha...) You may hear a messy phrase being played overly fast (in an attempt to somehow suddenly get all the right notes at the highest tempo and move on quickly). After the messy phrase has been played (in vain) a couple times, you might start to hear extremely loud, deep, and slow practice. I want to play well and develop my music to technical perfection, but I often become a bit too impatient in reaching that point... However, I could sightread pieces for hours. Thus, if you hear a ridiculously vast amount of repertoire, whether it be classical selections, broadway accompaniment, Disney music, or contemporary nonsense being played imperfectly for fun, it is I.
Mom
If there are any choral parts being plunked out, it's probably my mom. She doesn't play the piano very often anymore, but because she is a choir director she does use it for practical reasons. She may be speaking directions with the plunked out parts if she is making a sectional recording for the choir. If there are more than one person in the room either singing or talking, Mom is probably at the piano accompanying them.
Dad
I've only heard my dad play the piano twice in my life. It was an extremely shocking yet delightful experience. You will probably never see him play, but you'll know it is him if you hear something akin to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Stu7h7Qup8
Warning: There are four pianos in the house, by the way. On average you will hear two being practiced on. If you want a challenge, however, try coming to my home when all four pianos are being used at the same time. I imagine it will be a lovely (and slightly terrifying) surround-sound experience. ;)