| Many piano students spend much time learning how to | | | | soon turns cold and lifeless. |
| play the piano. Years upon years of study time | | | | Now, playing the piano is entirely different than learning |
| devoted to perfecting technique, tone, dynamics, etc. | | | | the piano. Here we are at home. Why? Because we |
| All the while, many of these same students have | | | | are playing. So different an approach it is too! Children |
| never really played the piano. That is, they have spent | | | | are allowed free-play and are even encouraged to do |
| their time practicing in preparation for the moment | | | | so. But as we grow up, we decide we must "make |
| when they can "perform" for others. | | | | something worthy of performance." What a tragic |
| Wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of learning how to | | | | error in thinking! Yet one that pervades the music |
| play other peoples music, we could feel confident | | | | world. |
| enough to create our own? Why is it so daunting a | | | | The solution is to understand that we all have our own |
| task for most of us? I think it's because we've been | | | | special music inside of us and each and every one of |
| taught that only a very few gifted individuals are | | | | us has something wonderful to share with the world. |
| capable of producing music from scratch - whatever | | | | This something comes through when we stop learning |
| the genre. Rock, jazz, classical etc. Unfortunately, this | | | | how to play the piano and begin to play it truly for the |
| belief is enough to stop most dead in their tracks and | | | | first time. |
| for those, whose spark of interest was lit in childhood, it | | | | |