"Now, Sarah, I've chosen something that I think will suit your current skill level," the teacher said, pulling out a piece of music. "This is 'Für Elise' by Beethoven. It's a lovely piece and not too difficult."
Sarah looked at the sheet music. She recognized the song immediately. It was pretty and gentle, with a simple melody that repeated throughout. She had heard it played in movies and commercials. It was the kind of piece that beginning piano students learned.
"It's perfect for you," Mrs. Henderson continued. "It's beautiful and appropriate for your abilities. You'll have six weeks to prepare, which should be plenty of time for a piece like this."
Sarah nodded and took the music, but something twisted in her stomach. Around them, other students were receiving their audition pieces. Jessica got a thick packet of pages filled with complex notes and difficult passages. Marcus received a Bach piece that looked like mathematical equations written in musical form. Sarah's piece had large, simple notes with plenty of space between them. It looked like music for a child.
"Thank you," Sarah said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"You're very welcome, dear. Now, practice carefully and remember to play with good posture. If you work hard, I'm sure you'll do just fine."
Just fine. There were those words again.
Sarah walked home with the sheet music tucked carefully in her backpack. The spring air felt fresh and full of possibilities, but her heart felt heavy. She had gotten what she asked for—a chance to audition—but she couldn't shake the feeling that Mrs. Henderson had already decided Sarah would be the warm-up act, the student who played the simple song before the real performers took the stage.
That evening, Sarah sat at her keyboard and played through "Für Elise" for the first time. Her fingers found the notes easily. The melody was indeed beautiful, flowing like a gentle stream, but it was so simple that she had it mostly memorized after just two run-throughs.
Her grandmother came home from work just as Sarah was finishing her third practice session.
"That sounds very pretty, little bird," her grandmother said, using her pet name for Sarah. "What song is that?"