So, what do I learn every week from my piano students?
Perseverance – steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks. Learning to play the piano as an adult can be a daunting task, yet week after week, I have students who continue to diligently practice to attain technical proficiency in their piano studies.
Patience – the ability to endure waiting or delay without becoming annoyed or upset. Learning to play the piano as an adult is a slow process and often the technical ability to reproduce the sounds heard in recordings or in the student’s mind is slow in coming. The patience required to achieve a modicum of success in playing the piano is immense.
Fortitude – strength and endurance in a difficult situation. Learning to play the piano as an adult is not accomplished by playing at the piano for a few minutes a week. It requires mastering difficult eye-hand coordination skills which takes an inordinate amount of time at the piano.
Determination – firmness of purpose, will, or intention. My adult piano students set goals for each series of lessons. To fulfill those goals and dreams requires a firm resolve to continue practicing and studying even when the desired results are slow to attain.