Hello Old Friend

After a 25 year hiatus I've started playing the piano again. I didn't see that one coming!

I started dabbling after hiring a piano instructor for my daughter. I would often listen in as he was working with her and thought his technical approach to the instrument was interesting. He and I got along and started working together once a week. I enjoyed approaching the instrument with an entirely new mindset focusing on technique. This appealed to me because I always felt my technique was lacking, even when I was a regular performing musician. My goal was to keep it fun. Although music theory always came naturally to me, working on technique I found to be hard work. Also, having played mostly be ear most most of my life, sight reading music has always been a challenge. Classical music is a great way to build technique so I'll be focusing a lot there.

It took quite a while before I felt I had reached the point where I was comfortable performing in public again. Now I'm playing on a regular basis in variety places ranging from senior living facilities to a recent performance at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. Not having to rely on music for financial support allows me to just do it for fun. Being a competitive person I have to be careful not to push myself to the point where I'm not enjoying the instrument. After all, music is to be enjoyed!!

I'm thinking it will provide a great retirement activity. I want to be the guy at the piano where people wander over and say "play it again Sam"…