Piano learning: suggestions for adults learning piano for the first time

     Hi, everyone! I will do a brief introduction first. I am Rachel Xu, a super senior at the University of Washington studying vocal performance major. I am very interested in piano as well and I passed the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) eighth grade piano exam a year ago. I am now teaching voice and piano in my free time and it is my last quarter at UW. This is my first blog so I decided to talk about something I encountered with piano teaching. 

    I have always wanted to play the piano as a kid but my parents couldn't afford to buy a piano. I started learning piano at the age of 19, so I have a lot of experience with adults learning the piano. First thing you have to keep in mind: It is never too late to play the piano as an adult. As a pianist, I always thought I started playing the piano too late and gradually I feel unconfident. I will tell you this: If your goal is to become a piano star, you might want to start early. If your goal is just to have fun with music, you can start at any time. There is no rush, no expectation to meet. It's just you with your piano. Instruments are patient companions and enjoy every minute you spend with it. As long as you are keeping your work, you will be surprised at how much you are improving. Another thing to keep in mind is to trust yourself. Our brain is capable of learning new things in our entire life. It is not something you can only learn when you are a kid. All you need is a piano, and a song you love. 

    Let's get it straight, it only took me two years to pass the ABRSM eight grade piano exam and be a piano teacher. Of course, I spent a lot of time practicing it (about two to three hours a day on average). It is tough sometimes but I enjoyed every day I am practicing. It is never too late to start as long as you really want to do it and willing to devote time to it.