Yesterday, while I was at my local music store, checking out the bargains in their post-Christmas sale, I got talking to another piano teacher and discovered that she only teaches adults. Apparently, she has only ever taught adults because she is not really interested in teaching kids. Even though I have predominantly taught kids over the years, I have still taught quite a number of adults and have thoroughly enjoyed doing so.
This teacher was telling me that she has approximately 20 students, plus a waiting list. This tells me two things; the first is that she is an effective teacher and secondly, that there is a quite number of adults that are wanting to learn to play the piano. In fact, I know of another teacher that lives in the local area, that also focuses on teaching adults. This other teacher might teach a few kids, but most of her students are adults.
During my conversation with this fellow piano teacher yesterday, I found out that her oldest student is 96 years old! Clearly this 96 year old has a mindset of enjoying his life and probably making sure he has no regrets. I must admit that I admire this gentleman for pursuing his dreams at his age. I think this gentleman proves that it is never too late to be learning, re-learning or just coming back to playing the piano.
Ever since I started teaching the piano, which I started when I was attending university, I have had many people tell me that they want to play the piano but feel a little sad because they think it is too late. In my experience, the reason that stops adults from learning the piano, is the notion that if they did not learn to play the piano as a child and never stop then it is too late to ever learn. Yes, sometimes people don’t have the time to learn, especially when they are in the process of bringing up children and/or are very busy with a demanding job and some people lack the money for lessons. Time and money can be reasons why a person doesn’t learn to play the piano but these are circumstances that can change over the years.
I’ve given this quite a lot of thought and I have come to the conclusion that the reason why so many people think it is too late for them to ever learn to play the piano, is that our western society tends to focus on perfection and what the absolute ideal is, rather than what can work. It seems like a person needs to be really good at something for it to be worthwhile doing, rather than being okay with ordinary. For instance, I am very ordinary at crocheting – I know 3 stitches and I sometimes crochet scarves. I don’t actually care about learning more and making more complex stuff, I am content with the little I know and the limits of what I can make.
Yes, everyone realizes that the ideal time to learn the piano or anything else for that matter, is during childhood, when a growing brain can absorb information at a very fast rate BUT nothing much is ever ideal in life and just because something is not ideal does not mean it is not possible or worth your time.
I’m going to repeat myself : Just because something is not ideal DOESN’T mean that it is not possible or worth your time. I think that 96 year old piano student that I heard about yesterday would agree with me. At 96, he could have all sorts of challenges so it could be slow going for him. He is not likely to be remembered for any extraordinary musical talent. He is probably taking piano lessons because he enjoys the piano lessons and he enjoys playing the piano and that’s it. He (or anyone else for that matter) doesn’t need to be particularly talented or play particularly well, he just needs to enjoy his time playing the piano. Nothing else is really matters.
If your lack of knowledge or talent or whatever is holding you back from learning or playing the piano, then please reconsider. If playing the piano, no matter how basic, is going to give you some joy then just take the plunge and do it – focus on enjoying rather than perfection.