Why is the age important

[Hazim]

Hello everyone,

My name is Hazim and I have just joined this forum hoping to get an answer to the question: why is the age important and is it too late to start playing at the age of 30?

The thing is that I have just started taking lessons, some 6 months ago, and more I play, more I love it, becoming an addict. A few of weeks ago, I got myself a piano, and since then, I am completely lost in music. Never in my life I had ever touched a piano, because I allways percieved it as something "unreachable", as if it is only for some specially "gifted" people who can play. I guess I was fooled...

Even though I had never played any instrument myself, I used to listen to various performances, and always, always, I had something to add, takeaway, emphesize, change... For example, Erik Satie's Gnossiennes: there are dosens of its performances you can hear arround, but none of them seemed to touch the very essence of what Satie wanted to present, or what I thaught was his message. And one day, I heard one really good pianist playing it (Branka Parlic). She played just exactly as I used to play it in my head. She open my mind and my heart, and I understood that it is possible - it was not just my imagination, I was right, I did feel Satie.

So I decided I must try it myself - if I could play it in my head, maybe those hands could also do something... I started taking lessons, with one single aim - to play Erik Satie. Now that I can play Gnossienne, I feel as if I could play just anything... or can I? I only know that there is nothing in this world that I ever want more... and I know that I want to hold on to my dream.

I've seen a simmilar topic in this forum, but I did not find a concrete answer: What are the main obstacles for the late starters? Is there something menthal, physical, or what? Is there something that one should pay a special attention to, if starting at the age of 30? Some advice?

Thank you very much friends!

Hazim.

[bernhard]

Age is of no importance whatsoever if all you want is to play (my oldest student started at 60 having never touched a piano before, and now 5 years later he plays a pretty mean repertory).

If you want to make a career performing music, then that is another matter entirely. Like most professions there is widespread prejudice against older people, and so even if you become extremely good, you will find almost unsurmountable obstacles to pursue a performing career. Obstacles - I hasten to add – that will have nothing to do with music.

But I assume that this is not what you are asking.

So here is my answer: Go ahead because you probably have more advantages and edges than any 5 year old. Here are some of the good points my adult students bring to their musical studies:

1.      Motivation.
2.      Discipline.
3.      Understanding that you do not get anything for free.
4.      Being prepared to work hard.
5.      Life experience (perhaps the single most important element in playing with great musicality)
6.      Knowing that failure (and success) is always temporary, and accepting this and continuing to work irrespective of temporary setbacks.
7.      Intellectual understanding. Adults are able to learn theory and harmony in a fraction of a time of youngsters.
8.      Knowing how to learn (most youngsters have first to learn how to learn).
9.      Ability to follow instructions to the letter
10.      Ability to make a connection between practice routines and results and being able to modify practice routines accordingly.
11.      Ability to work correctly without the constant supervision of the teacher.
12.      Initiative – typically adult students will do research, listen to music and study on their own initiative.

In my experience there are two main obstacles that adult students face. One physical and one psychological:

1.      Adults have too many bad physical habits (from posture to co-ordinations) accumulated over a lifetime. This leads to the delusion that children are somehow better at learning movements and co-ordinations. It is not true, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Children have to work as hard as any adult, they just lack the long term view and therefore are not aware of the difficulty. I strongly suggest that in parallel with your musical studies you get thoroughly acquainted with certain bodywork systems (choose your favourite from Yoga, Alexander technique, Tai chi chuan, Feldenkrais, etc. Do some research: it will pay off handsomely).

2.      Adults “understand” and this (thanks to our educational system) leads to the delusion that one can do. I can explain to you how to finger a scale, and you will be able to understand it straightaway. However you will not be able to play a perfect scale straightaway. Understanding is going to help you but not that much (a five year old that will not understand any of it will be playing that perfect scale far earlier than an adult, simply because they will rely on imitation – something that our society discourages on adults). So a huge problem arises because of expectations. So my advice is to be patient. Consider Evgeny Kissin. At 12 he was playing Chopin’s concerts. But then he started at 2. So where can you be in 10 years time if you practise as relentless and diligently as he did? Because adults have far more experience than children, they expect too much too soon.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[faulty_damper]

Plasticity of the brain.  Age 0-3 is the most important for mental development.  If you shoot a baby in the brain during this period, assuming it does not impair life functions, the babies brain will adapt and by the time he grows up, he'll behave in a manner we would consider normal.

This plasticity is also what allows babies so much ease to learn new things - this is important as it establishes behavioural traits that would allow him to survive.  If the brain is stimulated, then the child will grow.  If it is not, then the brain won't make any new neural connections and he'll be IQ'd as a moron.

Age isn't really as important as psychologists have made it seem.  It's just that much more difficult to teach an old dog new tricks but NOT impossible.  Unless the person really is an intellectual moron - who doesn't learn the new dynamics that life puts him through (i.e. a bigot) - he who has the desire can do it.  Just be sure you make everyday a learning experience and learning will become your nature making learning new things (playing piano) so much easier.



No, age is not important.  Think Joseph Haydn.

Main obstacles: people thinking there is something about being old and not being able to learn new tricks so they don't bother to try to learn it!

Not as much free time as children.

But otherwise, there really aren't any compelling obstacles.

[mark1]

work on pieces only within your reach(be honest with yourself).Persistence and patience are the two "P's" to remember!  
This is coming from another adult learner. Have tons of fun.                                                                      Mark

[comme_le_vent]

shooting babys in the head?

and what about joseph haydn?

i believe if your only playing for your own pleasure, and you really want to play - then your enthusiasm will guide you through your journey of ever increasing pleasure.

[Hazim]

Dear Bernhard, you are a treasure of the society. I've been cruising around the forum and I saw that you wrote loads of posts, unselfishly sharing your vast expirience and knowledge. I imagine, if there were more people like you, this world would be a different place. You are a dreamer, and I tell you, you are not the only one. God blessed you!

Thank you very much for your answer, it does enlighten and encourage me. All you said about motivation and discipline, and especially the life expirience, it is apsolutely true, and something I already felt in this short time of learning to play.

On the other hand, the resistance of society to accept old pianists could certainly be discouraging. However, I wonder, what is the point of wanting to play for someone who does not care? I think it is necessary to concentrate on music and enjoy the music as much as possible, and leave the society to enjoy in Britney Spears and other simmilar market items. One should not plan to invest his/her life asking for attention, but invest life in arts and performance, in seeking and exploring. Should the public attention ever come, it will come alone, and certainly be wellcome, but it may not be my only motivation.

I believe that, in the music, there is something that alchemists would call "the stone of wisdom", doctors would call "the medicine", economists would call "the market engine", etc. I think that the music is the ultimate reach of human mind and heart, a door to infinite freedom, it is the language of the Great Creator. All I want is to speak that language. Wish I could then also talk to the public, but...

Anyway, there are years and years of learning ahead, and I will see how the things are going to develop. I only know that I excercise as much as possible (between the work, the children and other obligations). All my life I have invested in extreme listening to the music. While others invested money into cars and holidays, I invested into a HiFi system that is now worth like a brand new grand piano, and all that just to be able to trace the small nuances and details of the music. I guess it will now serve as an other advantage in my own learning to play. Now it is time to take the new step. We shall see.