A thanks to patron for their support and the subject of gratuities

As a trained concert pianist and qualified music teacher I have been performing at Casa Labia, Muizenberg, South Africa for some time now.

I perform on a Kawai Grand Piano model RX-7 in the splendid and wonderfully ornate ballroom, home to many concerts and soirees. For more information on these events, please visit the Casa Labia website www.casalabia.co.za

The piano is a delight to play on. The action is responsive and the tone really superb for this venue.

I perform from 12 noon until 3pm every Saturday and Sunday. My repertoire includes classical and a diverse style of popular, standard jazz as well as some original material.

The venue hosts weddings, high teas, corporate functions, anniversaries and birthdays and I am available to play for all these events. Other than my extensive repertoire, I am only too happy to play guests favourites provided I am given advance warning.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those patrons who kindly supported me with generous gratuities. It’s really not expected and it gives me a tremendous feeling of satisfaction to know that my art is appreciated.

 I chose this career from very early in life.  I began playing at the age of 5, continued at school and then studied music at university. Being a performer takes years of dedication and hard work - hours of technical exercises, preparing for exams, practicing “note perfect” performing.  Another skill which takes some mastering is the ability to read music for both right and left hands simultaneously.

Many passers-by at Cavendish Square where I promote the Kawai Grand Piano for Ian Burgess-Simpson Pianos, twice a week on Thursday and Fridays are flabbergasted by this ability. It’s really not that astounding thinking about it. It’s like any form of vocation where you become skilled in your particular workplace; the typist can rapidly type a letter within a few minutes without looking at the QWERTY keyboard. They know through practise which finger to use for each letter of the alphabet; the same applies to being a musician (you know which key to play without glancing down from the sheet music you have in front of you).

Being a musician is sometimes difficult in our present economic climate. Musicians are everywhere: subways, street corners, inside restaurants, outside restaurants, and of course in front of sidewalk cafés (even now in trains, especially here in the Western Cape). I've learned to ignore the bad ones and reward, whatever I can afford, the good ones.

I know how is it to struggle to make ends meet and when a gratuity is presented (for waitrons or musicians) it really is very much appreciated.

Many people do not know what the protocol is for is for entertainers. They know they should tip their waitresses and waiters but not everyone knows if it’s ok to tip the entertainment. Of course a gratuity is always welcome for the musician, depending on the patron’s appreciation of the music and the overall contribution it makes to the ambience, relaxation and the opulence of the venue.

The money I receive in the form of gratuities is primarily used to purchase new repertoire material.

In my opinion, requests from the public must be honoured and I normally make it my business to obtain and practise a requested song on their next visit to the venue. Thus, makes the patron happy and they would in turn frequent the place more often.

Jean-Paul Grimaldi-Lasserre

Kenilworth, Wednesday, 15 May 2013