Why does it really matter to me whether or not people learn to play the piano, particularly retirees and seniors? Well if I really honest, this has not always been my focus. When I was in my twenties, I was very much focused on my music teaching career, both as a private piano teacher and as a classroom music teacher. So my focus was very much on kids and teenagers, after all those age groups I knew something about simply from the fact that obviously I was once a kid and a teenager.
As time progressed, I kept on meeting adults, particularly people in their fifties and sixties that would confide in me that they always wanted to learn to play the piano but never had the time, money or opportunity when they were young. It always seemed like they were looking for permission, or validation that it was not too late for them to pursue their dream of wanting to learn to play the piano. Thankfully, I knew enough back then to always respond encouragingly and tell them it wasn’t too late for them to start learning to play the piano now. Fortunately, I knew enough back then to realize that any one of any age can learn to play the piano, not just kids. I have always believed that it is never too late and you are never too old to try something new and learn a new skill.
As I just stated, I have always believed that it is never to late to learn something new and this has only become stronger the older I have become. Probably when I was around forty, I started to realize that I was becoming invisible in society and I was being treated like a middle aged woman even though I did not feel like one. I felt like I was now deemed ‘too old’ to do many things and I felt that just because my youthful looks were now a thing of the past, that this does not mean that I’m useless or ready for the scrap heap!
Now that I am well and truly middle aged, I realize that society is focused on the young – but what about the middle aged and beyond?! So eventually I had this idea to start this piano blog aimed at retirees or older.
It was interesting that when I was still in the deciding and preparing phases of this blog that I now write that there were no piano blogs for older adults. It was interesting (but sadly not surprising) that there are many learn to play the piano blogs on the internet and many of them would give really good quality information, but there was absolutely nothing aimed at older people wanting to play the piano and no-one interested in tailoring and catering specifically for retirees and older.
I have been writing this blog for almost a year now and I must admit that I have enjoyed the journey so far. I have also become increasingly more determined to give information and encouragement to retirees and older. You, my audience, are foremost on my mind every time I write. I truly hope that through my written words you can gain enough of what you need to start or continue your journey of playing the piano because I know the wonderful world that exists when you are playing the piano.