Is it possible to learn to play the piano in your 50's?

Guest post from Celine Gaurier-Joubert from the London Piano Institute  | I am delighted to welcome Celine to my blog, Celine is the Founder and Artistic Director of the London Piano Institute which is undoubtedly the most comprehensive piano academy for adults in London and the United Kingdom. Thanks to their unparalleled understanding of adult piano enthusiasts who play the piano for their pleasure and broad experience in adult piano education, they have now established themselves as a reference in London.

I have never been musical, apart from playing the recorder and the violin for a very short time at school, picking up a musical instrument is not a familiar skill to me.  I'd have loved to have tried piano lessons but with no piano at home when I was growing up, it never seemed to be an option.  My son works in the music industry and although his skills are more technical (photography and videography) he has been able to learn piano as an adult, his employer organised adult piano lessons in the office for any employees that were interested.  

I agree it is never too late to do what we want to do, we can always learn new skills, or follow our dreams, no matter what our age. Learning to play the piano is not something I have ever considered but I do feel a little envious of those that can sit down at a piano and start playing, a good old fashioned sing-a-long is so good for the soul and of course a lot of fun!

This is a sponsored blog post.

Learn to play the piano as an adult with the London Piano Institute

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Celine explains ...

Piano lessons run weekly at our City of London and Marylebone branches of the London Piano Institute with outstanding piano teachers who specialise in adult piano education. Become the pianist you have always wanted to become and learn to play the piano with London’s foremost piano academy for adults. 

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear women in their fifties say that they would love to learn to play the piano but that it is now too late. Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of women divide their lives into two parts: their youth, when it was still possible to learn a new skill, and the rest of their lives. A part dedicated to creation as well as improvement, and a part dedicated to enduring the past regardless of whether all desires were fulfilled or not.
 
Throughout my life and career as a pianist, I have met many women who were awestruck by my profession and lamented the fact that they did not learn when they were younger. They would dismiss the possibility of beginning to learn, as if enjoying piano playing was only for those who sat in front of the black and white keys at the age of four... What amazes me the most is that women in their early thirties already have the same thought...
 
I am not yet in my 50s, but I am nearly 43 years old, and I am constantly striving for improvement in all aspects of my life. I continue to learn new skills because I do not believe it is over. And it is not going to be over in 7 years! On the contrary, I enjoy each stage of my life and enjoy becoming more prepared as time passes to take on new challenges.
 
I truly believe that no one should ever feel defeated or that there is an age limit for beginning to do something they truly enjoy. We are all unique, and I believe that no matter what stage of life we are in, we should live to our full potential. I believe that you can begin learning the piano at any age and that there are no limitations.

Celine, London Piano Institute

My grandmother recently turned 99 years old. Yes, she is on her way to become a centenarian! If she had stopped improving herself at the age of 50, she would have spent the second half of her life regretting what she did not do!
 
Playing the piano is fantastic, and it is accessible to all women with a strong desire to learn. It may be considered too late to begin if you intend to pursue an international career as a pianist but learning for pleasure is entirely possible.
 
My parents are both amateur musicians, so I grew up in a musical family. When I first began teaching piano as a late adolescent, my students were all adults who wanted to learn for fun. After teaching privately for about 15 years in London, Paris, and Switzerland, I realised that learning to play the piano as an adult was a need that most piano schools did not address. As a result, I established the first adult piano academy in London before offering a similar opportunity to piano enthusiasts in Paris and Dubai. I wanted to give amateur pianists the incredible opportunity to express themselves and study with extraordinary piano teachers in a non-judgmental environment.
 
Every week, hundreds of women between the ages of 30 and 70 come to our lovely facility for piano lessons. They are overjoyed to have overcome their fear of being too old to play their favourite instrument and to be able to do so successfully.
 
If you are still not convinced, consider the reasons why it would be too late to learn to play the piano at the age of 50 or older. Do not consider what the majority of people say, but rather analyse the situation for yourself.
 
As I previously stated, I completely understand if you believe it is too late to start a new career, but I do not believe that is your intention. It is true that becoming a well-known concert pianist is limited to a select few. It takes a lot of practice, discipline, and consistency. It necessitates the development of extraordinary technical abilities as well as an exceptional sense of artistry.

Playing the piano beautifully as a hobby, on the other hand, does not necessitate any special talent or spending 8 to 12 hours a day at the piano. You do not have to make such an effort to learn some exquisite piano pieces for pleasure. There is no reason why you should not blossom if you are guided by an excellent piano teacher and devote some time to personal practice on a daily basis.
 
It is difficult to play tennis like Serena Williams, but having fun on a tennis court is entirely possible!
 
I would like to reassure those who are concerned about learning to read music and having to practice scales for hours on end. Learning music notation is simple, and there is no reason why you should play scales other than to become more acquainted with the keyboard. It is, of course, beneficial to improve your technical skills, but it is not required. Understanding the message that a composer is attempting to convey through his music will take some time, but it will come naturally over time.
 
I must agree on one point: it becomes more difficult to develop dexterity and flexibility as you get older. Being older, on the other hand, means that you have more emotional experience and that your performances will be more emotionally rich than those of younger people. Because the most important role of a pianist is to share emotions with the audience, I would not be concerned if my hands were stiffer than those of some 15-year-old girls!
 
Playing the piano is a wonderful activity that will undoubtedly bring you a lot of joy, so do not pass up this opportunity if you want to learn Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, or some jazz or pop tunes. Our female students at our various piano academies always emphasis the fact that learning to play the piano was one of the best decisions they have ever made. Some people enjoy cooking or gardening to unwind, but they all agree that playing the piano provides far more benefits.
 
To conclude, I believe that the fear of being too old is not a valid excuse if you are a piano lover who has always wanted to master this beautiful instrument. Your friends and family may think you have gone insane, but they will only think that until you prove them wrong!
 
It is never too late to follow your heart and make your dreams come true!

​Celine Gaurier-Joubert, London Piano Institute

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It is never too late to learn a new skill - learning to play the piano in midlife is possible!

What do you think?  Did you learn to play the piano as a child?  Or did you learn to play as an adult?  Or maybe you realise now that you can still start and learn to play the piano in midlife and beyond?

Love from
Michelle xx


Disclaimer: this is a sponsored blog post.

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