Returning to the Piano and Rediscovering Your Passion and Love After a Hiatus

Rediscovering your passion for the piano can be very challenging at times, but a deeply rewarding journey. When you first dust off the covers, you feel a sense of an accomplishment simply by doing that. At the same time you get this feeling of intimidation by the instrument itself. 

No matter what your background is, I can understand how you feel, because I was there too. 

I played piano for almost 20 years, and was very good at it. I quit cold turkey after my sophomore year of college. I was burned out and lost the passion for what was once my second-best friend (after my twin), my piano. 

Do I regret it now? ABSOLUTELY, YES! I can’t change the past, but I do have control of the present. You do too. 

If you have a similar story, I want to let you know that living in regret won’t accomplish anything. If you’re reading this blog, this tells me that you still have that burning flame inside of you for classical music. 

Here are some steps and strategies to help you reignite your love for the piano.

1. Reflect on Your Journey

• Think Back in Time and Recall Your Initial Spark for Music: What initially drew you to the piano? Was it a particular piece of music, a teacher, or a concert you attended that inspired you? Were you excited to learn to play the piano when you first started? 
• What Changed: There’s always one big reason to make us quit playing. Mine was being burned out of practicing every single day for hours. Also, I had to focus more on my academic classes while I was in college. What was your reason? Did you start college and due to a lack of time you quit, or was it losing motivation?

2. Set Realistic Goals

• Start Small: Set achievable goals that fit into your current lifestyle. If your schedule permits 30 minutes of practice, then commit to it. If re-learning an old piece is your goal, do it. Small and consistent steps can lead to big accomplishments.
• Balance Challenge and Enjoyment: Choose repertoire that is challenging enough but not overwhelming is your goal. Staying engaged will help you rediscover your passion. 

3. Create a Supportive Environment

• Find Your Tribe: Join local piano groups, online forums, create a piano meetup club in your town, or social media communities where you can share your progress, seek advice, and provide tips to former pianists. 
• Stay Inspired: Attend piano concerts (I love going to Segerstrom Concert Hall here in OC), listen to the classical radio station, find recordings of your favorite pianists, or watch performances on YouTube to reignite your enthusiasm for the instrument.

4. Explore New Horizons

• Diversify Your Repertoire: Pick repertoire from different composers. You may realize you prefer playing one composer over another. 
• Start Simple: Don’t start off playing very complicated pieces, start with easier ones first. One reason is to avoid injuring yourself. If you haven’t played in a while your hands and fingers will be slower and more tense. Second, it will take you longer to learn that piece, which may cause frustration. 

5. Practice Mindfully

• Quality Over Quantity: Focus your attention strictly on your practice session. Mindful practice is more important than playing long hours. Work on your technique, warming up your hands/fingers is extremely important (scales, chords, arpeggios).Pay attention to musical expressions and areas that challenge you the most.
• Celebrate Your Progress: Reward yourself with something you love once you achieve your goal. Many pianists forget to celebrate the small improvements along the way. By acknowledging your achievements and seeing that you can not only set goals, but achieve them, you boost your motivation and become more confident. 

6. Embrace the Journey

• Persistency Will Get You Further: Getting back to playing classical piano takes time. Don’t be hard on yourself. Make a list of positive memories from back in the day when you used to be very good and write down your past accomplishments (past concerts where you got standing ovations, you helped someone learn a classical song, you got an award). Look at that list each time you feel down and discouraged. 

Conclusion: 

If you follow these steps, your love and passion for the piano will flourish once again.  Remember, start small and simple, don’t complicate or over think. Nurture your mind and don’t compare yourself to others.