What makes for long term success at the piano?
I sat down a couple days ago and worked out that I've taught many thousands of piano lessons. Thats a lot of teaching, and a lot of students!! After a while, you can't help but see patterns and trends; who is successful and who gets frustrated and gives up.
My students range in age and ability quite a bit, from 4-year-old beginners to very advanced high schoolers and advanced musicians. If I were to pick *one* factor that predicts success at the piano, regardless of age and level, it would be this:
A Regular practice time that is adhered to every day; e.g. "30 minutes at 3:30 every day".
If you're a parent, you can add a second crucial element:
Active parental involvement in every practice session.
Yes, there are a lot of other factors that play into piano lesson success, but assuming you've got a decent piano teacher and some level of ability, these two things are the best predictors of long-term success at the piano.
Happy piano lessoning!
