Online Piano Lessons For Seniors – My Experience

Maddie took piano lessons as a child.

Fifty years later, she decided to try online piano lessons for seniors with us, taking lessons with Stephie in Athens, Greece.

Maddie also travels extensively at sea, taking her piano lessons on board her yacht.

Thank you Maddie, for your insight of what it’s like to be taking piano lessons later in life, as a senior:

“I took ABRSM Grade 1 at age 11 and started learning again 50 years later, online with Music Lessons Anywhere. I passed Grade 2 with Distinction at age 61, followed by Grade 3 a year later.

There are differences learning later in life, but they are not necessarily drawbacks.

As an adult I am more self-critical and feel I don’t learn quite as quickly as I did as a child. By contrast however, I am more sensitive to the music itself, and have been taught to listen to my playing and as a result play better than I ever did as a child. The other huge difference for me is the availability of on-line resources which didn’t exist when I started in the 1960’s.

I am fortunate to have found a brilliant teacher in Stephie who understands me, and finds pieces to gently stretch my ability, but which also bring me absolute joy.”

Maddie playing on board her yacht

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Tracy Rose Head of Music Lessons Anywhere

Maddie’s review of our free online Form & Analysis Workshop

One of our many free online workshops

Although this is an advanced level workshop, I, at my Grade 3-4 level, was interested by the advertisement and asked if I could ‘sit in’ on this free workshop. Nevertheless, Stephie, who is also my online piano teacher, invited me to join. I am so pleased that I did.

What do we do?

The workshop is generally divided into two parts. One is an ongoing, in depth study of a well-known complete orchestral piece. The other is either the study of a simpler, one page, piano score, or a piece of world music.

Part One
We are now studying Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini. I have to say it was a daunting prospect when I first saw the score.

Is it difficult?

When I first joined the workshop, I felt way out of my depth. Some of the other students, especially the higher grade and diploma level students, could already follow an orchestral score. But I persisted with my personal rule of taking at least five classes before giving up. I am so glad I did.

I can now follow the score and pick up again if I lose my place, recognise repetitive patterns, the instruments and texture of the music and understand the story behind the piece.

Part Two
Stephie is very patient with all of us and the workshops are recorded for members, so I can revisit them now, or at a later date as I advance.

I know that some of my advanced colleagues are able to take more knowledge from the workshops than I can. But this is a multi-level class, which stretches and educates all of us.

The study of the single page piano pieces is making an enormous difference to my piano playing. It has enabled me to view the score in a much broader way. When I look at a new piece of music now, instead of seeing a series of individual notes I see repetitions, statements and answers. I see phrases, points of repose, consider the objective of the composer and the genre. It is taking my understanding of my pieces to a new level.

The World music study is fun and educational. Among others, we studied Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and analysed it by listening without the score.

From a class I joined for interest, I never imagined what it would do for me. I have moved from someone who is ‘taking piano lessons’ to someone receiving a rounded music education which I enjoy enormously.

Thank you Music Lessons Anywhere!”

Maddie Smith – England
More reviews of our online music lessons are here

About our many free online workshops here