When I was in the first grade, my mom decided that it was time I start going to piano lessons. My grandma was an avid player and my mom always felt that she had missed out on learning the skill. I remember how excited I was when my grandma brought home a Wurlitzer piano and bought me my first set of music books. If you were fortunate enough to be roped into music lessons as a little kid, you may know that the excitement didn't last long. After I realized I had to learn "Hot Cross Buns" before I could bust out "Fur Elise," I was a lot less interested. In just a matter of weeks, I was pretending to be sick so I could skip Wednesday night lessons. I used to let out a huge sigh whenever my mom yelled from the kitchen, "I don't hear any practicing, young lady!" and piano recitals were basically my worst nightmare. As I got into middle and high school, my stubbornness subsided, and I actually gave the piano a fair shot. Learning to play an instrument taught me more than just how to read and perform music, and I am so thankful that I had parents who forced me to start learning when I was younger.
1. Learning to play an instrument taught me discipline.
There is nothing about learning an instrument that is easy. The first few weeks learning a new song were always so rough for me. It took so much discipline for me to sit at the bench for an hour just to finger out and sightread a page of music, especially if that music was of a genre that I didn't particularly find interesting. In high school, this was an hour that I could have been hanging out with my friends, taking a nap, or even studying, so it took a lot of discipline to invest it in practice. You have to devote the most practice to your weakest skills, which is a lot less fun than going over your favorite page of the song fifteen times and getting really good at it. The beautiful, memorized, finished product couldn't be created without hours and hours of sight-reading and repetitive practice. There are many aspects of life that are this way. If you want to be truly good at something, whether it is academics or a sport or some other hobby, you have to invest the hours it takes into mastering the most difficult elements of it.
2. Learning to play an instrument gave me a creative outlet.
I did not have the easiest childhood, and playing piano helped me get through some hard times. When I felt like I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, I played something that would let me really pound the keys. When I just wanted to relax, Debussy was always at the top of my list. I have several songs that I play when I feel heartbroken or lost. Since there are no lyrics involved with classical music, you can infuse whatever emotions you want into the song you're playing. Being able to play the kind of music that I found interesting was a great form of self-expression for me. My best performances came from the most emotionally charged periods in my life. Even now that I am a busy college student with a lot on my plate, playing piano is still a very therapeutic experience for me.
3. Learning to play an instrument gave me confidence.
To get people to take you seriously in life, confidence is key. I was a bit apprehensive growing up, and being thrown into recitals and competitions in high school definitely helped me develop the confidence I needed. I feel that I have a lot less trouble with interviews, presentations, and speeches after years of performing for others. Also, I have to admit that it is kind of a confidence-booster to impress someone by sitting down at the piano bench and playing a piece you know by heart.
After a few years of kicking and screaming my way through piano lessons, I am glad that I finally decided to take it seriously. It has shaped my personality and made me into the person I am today. Learning to play an instrument is now a lifelong skill that I love so dearly and I definitely don't take my opportunity to learn for granted. If you do know how to play an instrument, whatever it may be, take a moment to thank those in your life that believed in you in the very beginning when you were learning "Mary Had a Little Lamb." If you don't know how, it's never to late to learn a skill you'll cherish for the rest of your life.
