1,000 Days of Piano - Day 47: Learning Not to Play by Ear

As I focus on learning much of the beginning Suzuki piano repertoire, I’m realizing how much of it I never learned as a child and how many pieces I always wanted to learn but never got assigned. Many of these pieces are classic piano student repertoire, whether the lessons are traditional or Suzuki.
I had an excellent teacher growing up, traditional of course. She was impressed by my ability to learn music by ear, so much so that she wouldn’t assign me pieces I’d heard in group lessons. She assigned me pieces I’d never heard so I’d be forced to read the music. It was a deft strategy, and as I got older and more advanced it became less of an issue.

I learned to read music, and I learned to play well. I can’t help thinking, however, that I would have learned much more naturally and organically if I’d had Suzuki piano lessons instead of traditional. This is not necessarily a productive train of thought. Few piano teachers were trained in and using the Suzuki philosophy when I was a child. I would have been among the first Suzuki piano students in my area had my parents found me such a teacher. It is also not part of my philosophy to look back on my life with regret. I am convinced that my journey as a musician and teacher is unfolding beautifully...even if I’m the one doing the convincing. That said, here is a piece I wish I’d learned as a child—or at least a piece I’m glad to be learning now.