Children/Animation. 1 X 60:00

This is a tale of an eight-year-old boy who hates to practice the piano. But one day, when he expresses his dislike for practicing, the piano suddenly speaks tp him. The piano does in fact, speak, by virtue of an intriguing device that takes a human voice and uses it to electronically modulate actual piano chords, so that the piano is indeed talking. The old-fashioned upright promises Sparky that it will show him what it is like to play the piano well, and that all he has to do is run his hands over the keys and the piano will play anything he wishes, even the most complicated classical pieces. Suddenly, to the amazement of one and all, Sparky plays Chopin, Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann, Mozart, Rachmaninoff. He is hailed as a musical genius, and concerts are booked across the country, with Sparky both as soloist and with full symphony orchestra. As befitting a temperamental artist, Sparky insists on having his own piano shipped with him for every appearance. Before long, trouble looms. A music critic refuses to believe that an eight-Year-old can play with such mastery and, as a test, he manages to switch Sparky's old upright with one that looks just like it. Sparky discovers the switch, and puts his own piano back on stage in the nick of time. Meanwhile, Sparky s success has gone to everyone's head - his mother, Miss Pickett and even Beans, the dog, included. The ladies' outfits grow more and more elegant, and Beans now wears a fancy collar and a rakish bow in his hair. As for Sparky, he becomes unbearably arrogant. He lets his hair grow long, dresses outlandishly, and is rude to his family-even to his benefactor, the piano. The result is that Sparky finally has to account for his bad behavior. During the most important concert of his career, at the Washington Kennedy Center, in front of the President and a capacity audience, the piano refuses to perform for Sparky any longer. Instant chaos. The audience laughs at the frantic little boy's stumbling attempts to perform. As his mother calls to him from the wings, his dog, Beans, howls mournfully. It is a disaster. In a tortuous cross dissolve, Sparky finds himself at home, still banging futilely at the piano, eyes tightly shut. Was it all a dream? We are not sure, as slowly a face appears on the piano and winks at us... then disappears. Sparky sees none of this, for his head is down as he now practices in earnest and with new enthusiasm. He has learned how wonderful it is to play the piano well.