The Story of My Grandmother and How Playing the Piano Enriched Her Life, Especially in Her Senior Years

Playing the piano or learning to play the piano is good for the brain at any age. For retirees and beyond, it is a great way of helping to keep the brain fit and active. I think the perfect example of this was my own Grandmother. Music kind of runs in our family and even … Read more

Are Piano Teachers the Same as They Were 50 Years Ago?

There is a popular notion that piano teachers are exactly like what they were 50 years ago. The perception is that piano teachers are rigid, demanding and most definitely boring, so if you had piano lessons as a child, you’ll know exactly what you are in for if you decide to go back and take … Read more

The Importance of Good Posture and Hand Positioning

Good posture and body positioning is really important whilst sitting at and playing the piano. It’s important for everyone but I think its even more important as a person gets older. When kids start piano lessons, one of the very first things that they are taught is that they play the notes with rounded fingers … Read more

Adults CAN Learn to Read Music

The objection I have frequently heard about learning to play the piano as an adult is that they can’t read music. Learning to read music and understanding what every part of the notation means is really important when you want to play the piano or any other musical instrument. I’ve had a number of conversations … Read more

How to Find a Suitable Piano Teacher

So you have decided to take piano lessons in your retirement but you are not really sure how to find a piano teacher. There are a number of choices including having a traditional piano teacher, having a piano teacher where you have lessons via Facetime, Skype or Zoom. There’s also the option of buying a … Read more

George’s Story of How He Learned to Play the Piano with a Mildly Disabled Left Hand

There have been so many memorable piano students that I have taught over the years. All of them have brought me many enjoyable moments. Today, I would like to share the story of one particular boy. This boy, who I’ll refer to as George, began piano lessons with me when he was about 10 years … Read more