Adults Rediscovering the Joy of Music Making
Yamaha Music School of Boston student Steve Ganak recently "rediscovered" the piano. Steve is a Marketing and Advertising Consultant who has given generously of his time and expertise, and has assisted the school in its partnership with the Boston Pops.
A lifelong music lover, Steve reflects on his early music studies and the joys of beginning again...
My mother would call, "Come on in, it's time to practice." Those were the dreaded words that would invariably break up a game of pick-up basketball with my friends. So after five years, I had had it with playing piano. I no longer wanted to take lessons.
My father realized long before my mother that I was not making progress. I was still playing the same songs I knew over and over. Perhaps he was tired of listening to them. As he later said, he was "tossing" out hard earned money. My mother only said, "You'll regret it." They were both right.
Here it is decades later and I discovered Yamaha Music School. At first, I thought they only taught youngsters. I'm so glad I inquired. I spoke with School Director Jim Keenan to discover that, indeed, they taught adults with their Yamaha Keyboard Encounters as well as private lessons.
I was assigned to Aaron Jackson, an experienced and well trained music educator, who after a few months brought me to a level of playing where I'm stretching myself to acquire greater piano skills. Surprise... surprise....where once it was so difficult for me to sit down and practice I now look forward to it. Most importantly, I'm enjoying it.
This has been one of the best gifts I've given myself. I'm sure my parents are looking down and smiling.