Hi all

I've returned to the piano after a 20 year break. I've had 6 lessons so far, some weekly some fortnightly depending on work comittments. I absolutely LOVE IT! and all I want to do is practice. I'm trying to pick up where I left of which was grade 8...I never did the exam in my teens, but was starting to learn the pieces. I'm aiming to maybe take my grade 8 next year.

A couple of questions...
Will I get used to playing in front of my teacher or will those nerves go? Everything falls apart when I play to him and I feel so dissapointed in myself and frustrated that he's not hearing how I really play when I'm on my own.

How long will it take for me to get back up to (and beyond) where I was all those years ago? I'm struggling with quicker passages in the pieces I am playing and my fingers feel really weak (especially my 4th finger). I've been doing a lot of slow practice and gradually pick up speed, but when I play to tempo it all goes to pot! I also start every practice session with a few scales too, as I know the importance of scales in building good solid foundations to playing.

I have the feeling I may need to have a little more patience!

Thanks in advance for any advice

Zx

Hiya Zoe, to the forums, hope you have fun here!

The second question I'll leave to the pianists here, in answer to your first question, the likelihood is that you will get slowly more used to playing in front of your teacher, I'm sure. I've been playing music in some way or form for 30 years, as near as makes no difference, and I still get nerves, so it's a perfectly normal thing to be nervous. The way I think of it, nerves mean you care about the music you're playing. If you just went in and played without thinking and/or with a blase attitude, you wouldn't be half as musical.

If you do a search you will find lots of threads about this and discover that you are not alone My own experience is that it does eventually get easier - I have been learning the oboe for almost six years and I think it took me over four years to feel relaxed in lessons And even this year, at my first lesson after an eleven-week summer break, I found myself shaking when I started playing. Fortunately I have a very patient and understanding teacher He used to get me to play things twice, once to "get the nerves out of my system" and then again so he could see what needed working on and what was down to nerves.


I started a new instrument as an adult so I can't answer this but I do think there are some advantages to being an adult and that I use practice time much more efficently now than I ever did as a child/teenager.

Hi Zoe, glad you're enjoying being back at the piano, and having got that initial standing on the piano teacher's doorstep for the first time feeling behind you, I think that's the worst bit.

The playing in front of the teacher thing never completely goes away (that just means that you care!) but it does get easier with practise. Playing any piece, learning the notes etc is just the beginning - you then have to learn to perform it, and in a small way that is what you're doing to your teacher every week. But don't worry, we teachers can notice the improvements, even when you think it's gone pear shaped.

As for the how long to get back to where you were, as with anything it depends on how much effort you put in, but I've had a few returners over the years and the average seems to be about a year, but the good thing is you're so much more mature now, and consequently your playing and interpretation will be more mature, it just might take a few months for your fingers to catch up.


All the Best
D xx

Hello Zoe! I started to learn the piano as an adult in the 80s, and got as far as a pass (116) at Grade 4 in 1990. Then I got too busy at work so didn't touch the piano for about 17 years, until last April when I retired. I knew I would have to go back to basics so I started working through a tutor book on my own. I found a teacher in December (ie. 10 months ago) since when I have made better progress, but sadly, still, in the eyes of my teacher (and I agree), am only at about Grade 2 level. I keep hoping my progress will get quicker but ...

I think you have the advantages that you did learn as a child and that you got to a much higher level, but I suspect quite a bit of patience will be needed! Anyway I really enjoy it, which is the important thing.

Hoping it goes well for you,

PatC

I would start playing Grade 6/7 pieces at first for a couple of months, then start working on the Grade 8's.
Id have though you would be abale to do Gr 8 maybe next summer.
Good luck, and welcome to the forums.

Two years ago almost to the day I had my first flute lesson ever. My new teacher had asked me to take along my flute and the tutor book I had been looking at through the summer. We talked for a while, then suddenly she said "Ok enough talking, play me something". I blushed deep purple and my hands were shaking as I assembled my flute. But it gave me time to tell myself that the one person in the whole world that I simply had to play in front of was my teacher and there would be no point in going on if I couldn't master that. There are still some occasions when I have to remind myself of that, usually when I have progressed on something and I want to show her how well I can play it, but if your teacher is as good as mine is the moment will pass.

Wow thank you for all your comments!

It's so comforting to know that I am not the only one who gets so nervous, and I agree it is because I care.

I've never been one for performing, I can't beleive looking back when I was doing my music A level I performed at many concerts...there is NO WAY I could do that now. And the thought of doing an exam makes me feel sick but I'm hoping as my confidence and ability grows those feelings will pass.

My teacher is very patient and listens through all my stumbles. Every week he is encouraging and postitive and tells me how much I have improved. I normally play through a piece once and then we go through it bit by bit working on interpretation and ironing out any glitches.

When I was younger, I 'kind of' got a passage ok and would be content with it at that and would move on, but now I am a total and utter perfectionist, and if it's not right, I'm not happy and I will keep on at it until I feel as though the pieces I am learning are at performance level, which I think ties in with Digby's comments about being more mature and interpretation will be different.

But all in all thank you for your warm welcomes, and words of support.

Zoe x

Welcome to the forums Zoe.

Nerves were my problem at the start especially with piano. When I took my Grade 1 last year I didn't think I'd be able to stand up for the aural bit but I have gradually got better. I am hoping I'll actually be able to remember to say hello to examiner for my Grade 3 in Dec.

One thing that has really helped with the nerves is going to a forum concert. I can't recommend them highly enough. There's nothing like playing in front of people who are in exactly the same boat as yourself to give you a boost. I've only been to two so far being a relative newbie but if you can get yourself to a forum event then do

Lois

Welcome Zoe

Zoe, welcome to the forums!

thanks for all the welcomes...

How do I find out about the forum concerts...not that I'm ready to perform yet, but sounds really interesting...

Zoe

Go into the top forum (General Music Forum) and you'll find a sub-forum titled Forums Events

That's good to know Digby, as that is exactly how I feel every lesson!

Zoe, I am throwing myself in at the deep end by attending learner concerts and also going on a weekend course to help confront the nerves. Have you thought about that, if you are not too keen on the concerts?

Hi Zoe.

Like you I returned seriously to piano after a very long break. I last played seriously in the mid 1980's and started again in 2007.

My level back then was post-ALCM, and I regularly performed in public, both solo, and as accompanying several young singers and soloists. Unlike you I never stopped playing completely. Even so it took over a year from beginning lessons to eliminate accumulated bad habits, restore some repertoire, and get back to my previous standard. Fortunately I enjoyed every step of the jouney. In fact I welcomed the chance to do things right this time around. My goal is to reach a good professional standard (FRSM or equivalent) but I am realistic about the work involved and the time it will take and reckoned at the outset that it would take me not less then 5 years, and possibly as many as ten to get there. And acknowledging the possibilty (a tiny one I know!) that I might NOT reach that standard ever.

What I have noticed is that I suffer badly from performance nerves in a way that I never did previously. When I was a decent pianist in my late 20's and early 30's I got a bit excited before playing in public, but not so badly that it often spoiled the performance. Disasters were rare. Years before that, as a merely promising teenager I had no nerves at all. I could (and did) memorize a new piece on a Thursday night and perform it, from memory, on a Friday. It seems that we become more nervous as we get older. And it also seems that this is not just an affliction of amateurs that take long breaks. Famous world-class artists like Horowitz also had crises of confidence in middle age.) Perhaps, with increasing wisdom, we finally realize just how difficult a task we have taken on??

Despite playing regularly in front of audiences both small and large for the last year and a half nervousness continues to be a problem. It improves with experience, but not so fast as I would like. Disasters still happen - and far too often - marring a generally decent quality of playing. And such improvement as there has been is more in the direction of performing well despite the nerves, rather than curing the excess of nerves.

But I can re-assure you about playing for your teacher. That does get easier. At least, it does if you have a good relationship. When I played for a teacher for the first time in 20-odd years I was just as terrified as I would have been taking the stage in front of hundreds. For many months it seemed as though she emanated malevolent psychic power that destroyed my co-ordination. Pieces I played fluently at home came out like they had never been practiced at all. But now - a little under two years later - her presence does not faze me at all. In fact it stimulates me to play my best.

Hi Zoe.

My name is philip and I am new to this forum.

I am back playing the flute after being away from it for almost 17 years. I had reached grade 6 when I finished playing all those years ago. My daughter started playing the piano two years ago and from all the coming and going & the waiting around to collect her at the school I got the erge to go back playing.
I started by going back playing the piano which I had never played and sat my grade 1 exam last June. I was a bundle of nerves going in but got through it & was delighted to find out 6 or 8 weeks later that I got a distintion. I am back playing the flute since the end of Feb 09 and I am now getting ready to sit my grade 7 in Dec. I like yourself get really nervous playing for people, always have. Not that I am an expert or anything but I found getting involved with a music group or forming a group so you can be comfortable playing with and in front of will help settle nerves. I found by doing this has also helped my sight reading which I was never really confident about. I have put alot of work & practice into the flute since Feb. It took me a really long time to get my tone back and even now I am still trying to improve on it.
I feel a little bit under pressure about this exam in Dec in getting a result. My dad is a teacher in the school I am attending & most of the teachers know me & know that I have gone back playing after all these yrs.
They have all being really helpful since ive gone back playing. The most important thing firstly for me is to enjoy playing & if I can sit a few exams along the way to keep me on my toes,then great.
I think the more you get involved by playing with groups or playing in organised concerts will build your confidence. I think most people get nervous before they play & I don't think that will ever change. I remember the great Sir James Galway saying in an interview that before you go out on stage to play think of this, how ever big the audience is they have come to here you play so they are already on your side.


Hope it all works out for you,

Regards,

Philip.

It sounds like you've got a good teacher, Zoe, and I'm sure you'll soon feel as ease with her.

Look forward to seeing you around




Thanks for quoting that Philip, it's an excellent thought to bear in mind.


And welcome to you too, glad you've decided to join the forum

[quote name='skylark' date='Oct 23 2009, 02:32 PM' post='887478']


It sounds like you've got a good teacher, Zoe, and I'm sure you'll soon feel as ease with her.

...Actually my teacher is a 'he'...and yes he is very good! I'm going to start doing my g8 pieces soon. I've got until 2010 to do it so I'm sure that'll be plenty of time to build up confidence and tackle my nerves.

Good luck Philip in your exam...let us know how you get on.

Zoe

[quote name='Zoe J' date='Oct 23 2009, 08:51 PM' post='887615']
[quote name='skylark' date='Oct 23 2009, 02:32 PM' post='887478']


It sounds like you've got a good teacher, Zoe, and I'm sure you'll soon feel as ease with her.

...Actually my teacher is a 'he'...and yes he is very good! I'm going to start doing my g8 pieces soon. I've got until 2010 to do it so I'm sure that'll be plenty of time to build up confidence and tackle my nerves.

Good luck Philip in your exam...let us know how you get on.

Zoe
[/quote]
Thanks Zoe,I'll keep you posted. Hopefully I'll keep it together on the day of the exam.