Keys to Keeping Piano Alive in the 21st Century

The piano will always remain beautiful in the eyes of many, but will it remain an instrument parents and children choose to learn? I believe we can keep piano alive in the 21st century by implementing a different approach than the norm. 

Piano Teacher? More like Piano Lover! 

I don’t think there’s a better word to describe me other than a complete piano lover; maybe piano-obsessed is even better. I’ve lived and breathed piano my entire life. I learned to play when I was four and a half years old. Then, I started teaching piano when I was 14 years old. I wrote my first song, Cascade (which is my most famous song out of my four albums to date) when I was 16 years old. After that, I founded my own school, Cascade Melody when I was 22 years old. I created an online piano teacher training program in 2016, along with launching a piano theory book and a piano reading tool, NoteMatch. Needless to say, if the piano were a drug, I’d be an ADDICT.

Although my love for piano is deep within my core, I’m not oblivious to the fact that many people do not see the art and beauty and FUN within the instrument like I always have.

I’ve been on a mission throughout my entire piano career to convert every person into a piano lover! I believe that there is a fun and exciting way to play music on the piano in today’s modern, pop-driven world. 

 

 

How to keep Piano Alive in the 21st Century:
The piano will never die, it’ll only evolve 

As long as we, as pianists, do our part in sharing the creativity and evolution of the instrument, piano will never die. I could easily come up with 88 keys to keeping piano alive, which would be awfully clever and inspiring, but odds are, not even the other piano addicts would want to read that! Therefore, I’ll give you three keys:

Key A: Keep Piano in your family heirloom.

I’m not a mother, yet… (update as of 2020, I am not a mother and expecting a second baby boy in June 2022!) and I consider all my students my own kiddos! Either way, you best believe that my kids will learn how to play the piano when the time comes! It won’t be forced, and I’d love to teach them if they let me. If they don’t want their “lame mom” teaching them, I’ll trust one of my amazing teachers from my training method program to teach them. 😉 The goal is to get them to see how much fun it is and then they’ll want to jump right in!

If you have the opportunity to share your talent with your kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews… do it. If they see your enjoyment in it, they will want to find theirs in it, too. 

Key B: Teach Piano in a fun way.

This goes for all piano teachers… there IS a fun way you can engage your students while still teaching them all the fundamentals they need to be true musicians on their own. That’s what my online teacher training program is all about.

When I became a full-time teacher, I realized how many students would lose interest or get discouraged. One day, everything clicked and I started implementing a new way to teach. It was almost instantly that my students started to enjoy coming to lessons and started to level up major in their confidence. Learn more about the Cascade Method Program! 

Key C: Keep piano alive in YOUR way.

It’s easy for all of us, especially piano teachers or composers to only play for others. I encourage you to embrace YOUR way. You have favorite songs to play, you have genres that you prefer over others- don’t neglect that. When you start to lose sight of your passion, you’ll lose others, too. 

Piano has saved me through some hard times in my life. Piano keeps me going and it’s my calling to share this instrument with others who are willing to listen. Share this post with your friends and family so I can further my efforts at converting more people into PIANO LOVERS! 

Xo! Tara

Sign up for the Cascade Method email list so you can receive more inspiring piano blogs, my training program, teaching tips, freebies and more!

Choose the piano topics you’d like to receive!