How did your passion begin?

[shh its kaya]

I'm just curious how many people here started playing the piano when they were little kids because their parents forced them to, and then realized at some point in their lives, that they actually liked the piano, not hate it.  And I would also like to know what caused people to change their mind about the piano and grow a passion for it, or for those who weren't forced as a kid, what motivated you to start learning piano in the first place?  I feel that pianists are a minority, especially when it comes to desire to learn, since what I mostly see are kids dying to learn how to play guitar (especially electric guitar).  Kids at school always brag about the songs they can play on their guitar, but nobody ever brags about being able to play Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, or Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata, 3rd movement.  So that knocks out peer pressure for motivation to play the piano.  In addition, on the radio you constantly hear songs with guitars in them, but rarely classical piano.  So where do you all get the desire to learn and play the piano (and I mean classical piano)?

For me, I used to hate piano (my first two years I played) because my parents forced me.  However, it wasn't until one day when I came home upset, and decided to play the piano, and realized how relieving it was, and how pretty the music I played was, that I started to enjoy the piano.  I had to stop lessons because of financial issues, but I had another moment of inspiration to continue my piano practicing two years ago when I heard someone play the piano at a French competition and I absolutely fell in love with the piece (the piece is Chopin's Nocturne No. 15 Op. 55 No.1, by the way).  From that day on, I have practiced and practiced to learn that piece, along with others.

So what is your story?

-Kaya

[Baron_Clavier]

In my case, my elder sister started to play the piano. She never went very far and I was totally uninterested.

After a year I suddenly got interested (why?) and wanted to take lessons. Unfortunately, there was a queue to get piano education in the local piano school, so I had to start to play VIOLIN, No offense, but it simply was not my instrument which I got 2 years to prove.

After that, I finally got piano lessons, dropped violin, shortly later changed to a fabulous piano teacher and the road was open...

My interest was very spontaneous and never forced. In any case, I'm grateful for being able to play.

/Baron

[bizgirl]

When I was about 7 my mom started to teach me, but she really didn't have time and I only got two or three lessons.  Somehow I taught myself (and actually progressed!) for another year and my dad finally said they had to get me a teacher.  So they did.  I never consciously thought "I love piano" during the five years I was with that teacher, but then I switched to a new teacher who always just assumed I loved it and, of course, I would become a piano performance major in college.  I guess her assumption kind of rubbed off on me!  After all, what else is there to do besides piano?

[xenon]

I started piano at around 4 or 5 in the Yamaha School of Music.  I didn't really think much of it.  Didn't really take much of my time.  My mom then "guided" me into more advanced lessons.  Well, I can say that during my 12 or so years in piano study, I wanted to drop it.  When I was in Gr 5, I wanted to quit piano because of this bloody hard Bach piece .  I haven't even seen Preludes and Fugues yet.  Nearing Gr 9, I didn't want to do my Gr 10 because it would take too much time away from school, especially since I was about to embark in the International Baccalaureate program.  Well, I did it and I was glad, but I had no intention on doing my ARCT.  Well, at one of my teacher's recitals, I heard an alumni student play Brahms's Rhapsody Op 79 No 2 in g minor.  That was an inspiration.  As practice increased to 4-8 hours a day, I was beginning to realize how much commitment it takes, and was temtped to drop it.  Well, I'm still doing piano.  It'll be hard to maintain high marks while succeeding in piano, but that's life, non?

[Motrax]

Piano has never been completely forced for me - I've had multiple opportunities to drop it in my 12 years, but I've stayed with it. However, it used to be a cross between a chore and a hobby for most of this time. This February, I heard Rachy's Cello Sonata in G minor Op. 19, and decided I had to play it. Since I had a cellist depending on me being able to play the piece, I practiced the Sonata alone for 3 hours a day for about two months. After that, I realized that the more I practiced, the more I loved piano, and so now I'm doing between 3-6 hours a day (I have a full time job for the summer, so it's pretty difficult to practice a lot on weekdays).

[JK]

I started playing when I was 4 and to begin with my Nan taught me. Already at this point I loved classical music, this is mainly my Dads' influence who used to play Beethovens' pastoral symphony as a lullaby when I was a baby!

Then when I was 6 I saw Freddy Kempf playing the Grieg concerto on tv at the BBC young musician of the year final (a big competition in Britain), I then decided that I would like to be able to do that so my parents took me to a local teacher.

I have been at the Junior school of the Guildhall school of music and drama in London for 2 years, having gradually changed teachers over the last 4 years. Next year I'm taking first study piano ay the senior Guildhall scool of music and drama. I've never been forced to play the piano or practice, I do it because I love it and am determined to make it my future.

Progressing has been a natural process that I have done of my own accord, this I think is much better than having pushy parents, although this works for others.

[donjuan]

My parents forced me into the yamaha school at a young age (maybe 6..).  I hated it, screaming my head off the whole time I was there.  I woldnt practice, and the group teacher told my mom to take me out of the program, because I was distracting to the other avid learning children.  My parents then made me take private lessons "because my sister played".  Those didnt go well- the teacher wasted a hell of a lot of time during the lesson changing her baby's diaper, and fixing it food.  I then went through 2 teachers who only taught Jazz and absolutely no technique.  My mom finally let me quit at age 10.

I didnt touch the piano for 2 years.

A visiter came to our house one day and played Faber and Faber's version of Pachelbels canon.  I fell in love with the piece and used whatever knowledge I had from the lessons of long ago to slowly make my way through it.  I put letter names next to all the notes, and tape on the keys so I wouldnt get too confused.  

Over the next year, using my innovative self tought method, I actually learned Chopin's Etude Op. 10 No.3, Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata (2nd Mov.), and 4 other versions of Pachelbel Canon.  

I decided to give piano another try.  I found a teacher who taught classical piano, and took me on as her student.  By now, I had horrible technique because I had invented my own to solve the problems I encountered in the pieces that were far too difficult for me.  Within a year of study with this teacher, she lost all motivation to help me and sat lifelessly during the lesson, telling me to "keep it up, it sounds great".  My parents were pretty much paying her to encourage me.  Finally, she transfered me to a friend of hers.  

This friend was my first male piano teacher.  AND he was and still is the best.  I have been with him for over 2 years.

well, that's the story of donjuan...

[ted]

To save my repeating everything, my background is at


https://www.pianomix.com/2003-07.html

[Tash]

my mum made me go have lessons when i was six and that lasted about a month cos i hated it (or at least the teacher) and mum decided that i was too young, so i promised her i'd take it up again when i was 8, and actually did that and disliked it for quite a while after that cos i had another terrible teacher so finally switched again and started to like it. i always liked to practice compared to other people i knew who liked to play but didn't like to practice (where is the sense in that can i ask???).
basically i really grew to love it when i took up music as a subject in yr9 and had the year before played fur elise (oh what a choice) and some music teacher from some important place was there and told a friend of my mum's that i was the only person who played with any feeling- very encouraging! and so it sparked from there really. what a lovely story

i can't say i was ever really forced, except when i told mum i didn't want to do grade 5 and just wanted to play stuff and she was like no you're doing grades or not having lessons- probably the best thing ever or i probably would've quit.

it's funny how quite a large number of absolute piano lovers started off hating it, but how rewarding is it that we kept it up all these years and can play all this beautiful music

[Spatula]

My very first song on the piano when I was about 8tish was ... jingle bells I think???  

Yeah then I bugged my mommy to take me to lessons.  We started out with this Yamaha keyboard for like 50 bucks, and my fav sound effect were the gunshot and the waves... hahahah good old days.

I guess I kept on playing and 11 years later now going to prepare for grade 10 exam... yikes  

[Spatula]

I totally agree with Tash (btw how to you "quote" the prevous posts with the yellow text?? HELP ME!)

Yeah there were times (especially grade eight) I just wanted to burn that piano and hated practicing instead playing computer games, and never bothered to sight read and other technique, but now I'm so d**m glad that I've stuck with it and I want to perform beautiful music!  The problem is that I just look like the rest of my friends being asian that do it just for the hell of getting school credit or just cause they're forced to, but I'm not like that.  

Anyways right now I'm struggling because everytime I play my PS2, I feel so guilty of not practicing...any thoughts or similar experiences???

[Spatula]

HAHA actually nevermind, I just found out how ...just seeing that "quote" thing right after posting the last message.

Silly Spatula

[donjuan]

I also have PS2.  do you play Jet Li's "Rise to Honour?"

[Tash]

Anyways right now I'm struggling because everytime I play my PS2, I feel so guilty of not practicing...any thoughts or similar experiences???

i feel guilty about not practicing as much as i should, but that's not because i'm playing my non-existant PS2, i'm just not at home during the day and come home at night and don't have time to practice. that's the problem with being out of school, it took away my structure! now uni's whenever it feels like and i don't get enough time to practice and it's so annoying and then i feel like i've let my teacher down when i've barely improved fromt he week before

[Spatula]

I'm more of a RPG fan...so like I'm working on Xenosaga and FFVII (DONT delete this post even though it's nothing to do with piano HENCE the miscellanous)

That was to the administrators deleting my posts, sure some weren't in good taste, but they eradicated like a dozen or so of them  

[TonyG]

Ok, this is not a bad place to start with my first post. Started age 7 in 1957. Became a ballet school pianist at age 14. Was playing for children's shows in front of audiences around 5,000 by age 16. Turned pro. age 23. Years of Summer Seasons, Theatre. Also very fond of working on the old Hammond tonewheel electronic organs. Year 1991, had enough of the business, and that was that!

Hey, this is a PIANO FORUM and not just a Classical Piano Forum isn't it? I love my Rach., Chopin, Greig, Debussy etc. as much as anyone else, but I've always been interested in the playing techniques and works of the likes of George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Thelonius Monk etc. There's a whole world of incredible piano sounds out there folks!

[JK]

Hey, this is a PIANO FORUM and not just a Classical Piano Forum isn't it? I love my Rach., Chopin, Greig, Debussy etc. as much as anyone else, but I've always been interested in the playing techniques and works of the likes of George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Thelonius Monk etc. There's a whole world of incredible piano sounds out there folks!

You sure are right, those guys could do amazing stuff! I love Fats Waller cos he had such a great personality, what with his hat and cigars! Also Art Tatum is just incredible, inventive, imaginative and had a technique that was probably better than most concert pianists'!

[Nick_K]

My Passion began a number of months ago.

After I watched The Pianist (the story of Spilman) I fell in love with chopin's music. I have yet to find a piece of Chopin's that I dislike, i don't think its possible for me. Anyway, thats how my passion began, from a movie.

Nick