My Philosophy
I am a firm believer that enjoyment is the key to longevity, especially when it comes to hobbies. In general, I find that people are far more likely to continue to do something if they enjoy it.
The best example I have for this is, of course, myself! My parents wanted my sister and I to have some sort of extra-curricular activity in our lives; we went through ballet, gymnastics, baseball, karate, swimming and Girl Guides, but piano was what stuck with me. I started lessons at age seven with a woman my mum heard about through word of mouth. She ran a little piano studio in the attic of the music store she ran with her husband.
It’s nineteen years later and I still play piano. I was never forced to study classical music or take Royal Conservatory. I was encouraged to play songs that interested me, most of which came from movies. I think this is what contributed to my love of piano.
Without a doubt, there were some days back then when I didn’t want to practise, I didn’t like my songs and wasn’t interested in learning, especially when it came to musical theory. But as an adult, the skills I learned from those lessons over the years now allow me to continue to play new pieces and to share my love of music with students! And for that, I’m grateful.
I never truly appreciated the musical ‘language’ that I had learned until I began to teach. It’s as if you are privy to a secret code that allows you to take little dots and lines and turn it into something that sounds beautiful. Not to mention, on the physical side of things, piano is a great way to improve dexterity. As someone with tiny hands, that’s also something I appreciate.
Now, as an adult, I still thank my parents for allowing me to choose my own musical path. Enjoyment is the key to longevity. I honestly think that if I had been forced to learn piano songs that I didn’t like, I wouldn’t still be doing it today. That’s why this same ideology is so important to me. I want my students to have the same experience I had, to discover the joy in music.
