Hello! I am new to the lists. I haven't read most of the correspondence so apologies if my requests for advice are repetitious.

I am 57 years old, returning to the piano after years of not playing. Long ago in the distant past I used to play well. But I feel that I have lost almost everything, especially technique and confidence - but not love of the piano!

Any suggestions please as to what pieces / exercises that I should begin with to help rebuild technique and confidence? I am presently practising scales, playing Hanon exercises, reading through Book I of Turk (which I discovered through ABRSM), and also Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena.

I suppose I should also start to look for a teacher, but I find that rather daunting.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

With all good wishes,

Sterling

Hello Sterling, and welcome to the forums! You will find plenty of advice and ideas from lots of people; you might also like to post a message on the adult learners' board, (if you haven't already - I didn't check first!) where you will meet others in a similar boat to yours.

Hanon is good - I try to get most of my adult students doing at least some of these, once past the beginner stage. You might like to have a look at the Classics to Moderns series of books - six levels, if my memory is correct, with two books at each level, a good mix of pieces.

I recommend a browse in your local music shop if you have one, and just explore.

Hope it all goes well - keep us posted!

Hi Sterling. Welcome to the board. Nice to have someone my own age (well nearly! I'm 59). In my case I managed to keep my piano playing going as an enthusiatic amateur despite a career in the Chemical Industry. So I encourage you to take it up again.
I am even thinking of going serious again when I retire, despite having not done an exam since 1965, maybe a Performing Certificate or Licentiate diploma.

So good luck and enjoy yourself. ! What sort of grade you are would help us recommend repertoire. If you go for lessons then your teacher will guide you.

Another good exercise book which I find both strengthens the fingers and focuses on the subtleties of technique for both my young and adult pupils is Geoffrey Tankard's Foundations Of Piano Technique.

Hi there! Don't be daunted by approaching a teacher, but it's important that you find the right one! If you let us know what area you're in I'm sure somebody here could send you a personal message with recommendations.

Good luck!

Hi Sterling



Don't be put off by your age. 57 so they say is the 'new' 37. I'm 38 but sometimes feel 108.



A colleague of mine, 60 yrs, is about to go back to playing the piano after, he says, a 35yr gap. He said he reached grade 6 TCL. What grade did you finish at?



It's great that you are going back to the piano and I'm sure, like riding a bike, it will all come back to you in due course. The Tankard books are very good, especially the one on '...an hour a day'. Good exercises for weak fingers but be a little careful with the execises for 3rd 4th and 5th fingers and limit your time to about 5 minutes a day on these.

Sorry! I meant to wish you GOODLUCK!

I'm sure many teachers would welcome you with open arms. Given that most pupils are children, some only playing because their parents want them to, wouldn't you welcome a willing and enthusiastic adult if you were a teacher? Someone who's played before and so knows what commitment is needed to improve, is actually keen to devote the time to practise and shares a love of the same instrument? There's a teacher out there who will get as much pleasure from teaching you, as you will get from learning from them.

My teachers are just very good at faking it

But go for it - NOW!


Skylark
An adult beginner

Personally I love adult learners - I have two pupils who are 67, so you are young!

The Hanon studies are definitely ones to play...

Me too - I have several adult students in their 50s and 60s - they are doing well and are great fun.

There is a website which is aimed at older students - do a google on musicalfossils and it should come up. Makes a very useful read. Don't be put off by the title ! - it aims to put paid to the myth that adults find learning and playing more difficult than children do. The writer cites a number of reasons why we ex-school-children bring "baggage" to learning, (eg we judge ourselves ) and describes how we can recognise this, and avoid giving ourselves barriers to learning and performing.

I'm not doing a very good job of describing this - I recommend you have a read for yourself!

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement.

I'll try to fill in a few "blanks" from my first email.

I live in the Cambridge area, where there are many piano teachers, but that poses an additional challenge as to how to choose (once I get up the courage). For example, it would be nice to draw up a list and have a lesson with each, but I don't think I can afford that!

I did not go through the grading system, so I am not able to say at what level I played when I stopped. My piano teacher insisted that each of his students participate in a recital once a year, and once (and please remember - many years ago!) I played Schumann's Papillons and Bach's French Suite no 6 in E. How I wish I could play those pieces again - hard for me to believe that I ever did! Perhaps those two pieces should be my goal? But at the moment even working on a Hanon exercise is a trying experience (the left hand is so weak)!

I confess I have not heard of Tankard or the series Classic to Modern (is this a publication of ABRSM?), but I shall certainly ask at the music shop. Actually there are two music shops in Cambridge - one sells orchestral scores (miniature and otherwise) and when I asked there about buying ABRSM books, I was told emphatically that they did not sell "teaching books" and to go elsewhere (which I did); so I shall ask at the second shop this Friday!

And thanks for the suggestion about posting to the Adult Learners forum - I am going to pose a question there as soon as I post this!

With all good wishes, Sterling

I was in Cambridge earlier this year and was in a music shop looking for something (actually a score of Lassus' Missa bel amfitrit altera, which we were due to sing the following week) and I'm fairly sure I bought some teaching books there too (although my memory could be wrong) the shop is in Green street - but I guess that is one of the two, and you know Cambridge better than I.

Classics to Moderns series are published by Yorktown press: the book 4 that I have to hand carries the isbn number 0-86001-680-3

Dear Maggie,

Yes the Green Street music shop was where I was told that teaching books were not sold, and I took the young man at his word and I did not look further. I had been to that shop before to buy miniature scores but that was my first time looking for ABRSM books, for example. Whereas the other music shop - Miller's, which sells and rents musical instruments - has many ABRSM and Trinity publications. I suppose that fits.

Thanks for the ISBNs!

Sterling

I'm in the Cambridge area, and returned to piano after a 15 year break (although I stopped playing at Diploma level). I went into the Brian Jordan music shop in Cambridge, and he has a list of teachers on a notice board in his shop. I phoned a lady on the list who teaches nearly only adults, and have been with her since January (although she lives in Huntingdon). It was VERY daunting finding a teacher; if you want to play for pleasure, it's probably not neccessary, but if you want to really improve, it's essential.

Good morning, Bing, and many thanks for your posting!

I am curious - when you went to Brian Jordan, were you able to buy or did you look for teaching music books? I am hoping to go there today for the Tankard piano books, but not sure if it the right place to go.

Thanks for the tip about the teachers list. I must persevere, as I do wish to improve, and I think it is essential to have someone else looking on - seeing how you sit, catching those mistakes that can easily become a habit, watching out for sloppiness and laziness, and hopefully giving encouragement!

All the best, Sterling

I just went in to see if he could advise on piano teachers. I'd made the decision to find a teacher first, and see what they advised as far as music went. In the end, I didn't talk to him, but browsed his notice board. Have you thought of subscribing to 'Pianist' magazine? Each issue they provide sheet music, and a CD recording of the music (all standards from beginner to advanced).

If Brian Jordan doesn't have what you want, I'm sure he could order it for you. Now I tend to buy my music over the net as it saves me a journey!

I went back to the Green Street music shop today. The same young man was there, but this time I went straight to the back room where the piano music is kept and I found the Tankard exercises, so I am happy as Larry and will definitely go back to that shop and have a better look at what is there.

Cheers, Sterling

Oh that's good. The person I saw (an older gentleman) was very helpful and spent a long time looking for a vocal score he knew he had somewhere ... I felt quite bad that when he found it, it turned out to not only be the wrong edition, but in a different key! I was sorry the others were waiting for me and I had to resist a good look round a fascinating shop.

The answer (for you) does seem to make for the back room and have a browse!