Each year, Glenda Brasher and her students spend weeks learning, practicing and memorizing music to share with their family, friends and sometimes even judges. It’s hard work, and there are hiccups, but the accomplishment of finishing a public performance at the library or earning a gold cup is just one of the things that makes it worth any struggle.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench in the plans for this year’s recital. Instead of meeting in Brasher’s home, she learned how to provide online lessons for the first time in her 34-year career as a piano teacher.

And when it came to the recital, she decided to use her newfound knowledge — and a little help from a videographer at her church — to put together a virtual recital for students and their families.

“I didn’t want my students to miss out on playing for their families the pieces they had learned,” Brasher said. “They had been working on them for a while.”

Seven students in total, ranging from a first grader to a college freshman, participated. They had practiced for months to perform two pieces of music from memory.

The recital, which usually takes place in early May for a gathering of friends and family at the local library, was pushed back to May 20, Brasher said. She asked Justin Wyatt, a music technology major at Calhoun Community College who attends her church, to help her record this year’s virtual recital.

As the coronavirus restrictions had lifted, Brasher had resumed allowing some students into her home for in-person lessons. She said some of the students visited her home to perform for the camera, while others recorded their performance at a piano in their home.

“It was so different, but it was a good representation of the work they had done,” Brasher said. “They were proud to have been able to do that.”

Three of her students — Abby Hurt, Brody Hogan and Emily Hurt — received certificates for performing their pieces for the National Federation of Music Clubs Piano Festival earlier this year. Brasher said Hogan and Emily Hurt also received gold cups, marking six and nine years of playing, respectively.

Brasher explained each gold cup marks three years of playing, but it’s a skill and talent that will help them throughout their lives, long after they’ve stopped visiting her for lessons.

“My goal as a teacher is for you to eventually not need me, for you to be able to sit down at the piano, pick up a piece of music and play,” Brasher said. “When they get to that point, it’s something they can use for their entire life. I often hear adults say, ‘Well, I used to take lessons, but I couldn’t play now,’ and I usually tell them, ‘Yeah, you probably could.’ You’d be amazed at what you can remember.”

Brasher is currently accepting new students. Parents should email dgbrash@charter.net for more information.