Continuing piano lessons

My dd plays piano, she has lessons but doesn't do the grades. She mainly plays modern things which she is happy doing (and she practises!) I figure if she wants to go back to doing set pieces and grades when she's older she can. It's unlikely she'll be a professional pianist you just need to find the right teacher. I think some parents are so focuses on grades, I have heard UCAS points spoken about more than once I would just rather she enjoyed playing.

At that age it is hard.

Can you ask her if it's the instrument, or the teacher?

I told my DS he could give up violin, but to try 1 term with a new teacher first. Also got him a few "fun" books (pirates of the Caribbean, star wars, pop music off internet etc) and said no grades for a year, just play what you.like, as long you keep playing.

He had now started piano, which is so much easier than.violin and is making quick progress and loves it more than violin

At 14, he has now decided to do music for gcse and will keep both instruments going.

It has become HIS choice though, and that was key. But am glad I got him over the bumpy patch at 11/12 by taking pressure (grades) off. Good luck!

Very similar experience to couchpotato here. DD age 16 now semi-pro on her main studies (guitar-voice) and starting diploma-level studies on piano. She has only ever done one piano exam.

What works is that she mostly plays what she wants to play (lots of Debussy and Chopin!), without much regard for difficulty. One of the very first piano pieces she ever learnt was Schumann's Traumerei! She's only slightly miffed that her teacher is now insisting on some Bach .

Teenagers with supportive parents will learn if they want to learn. My younger teen (14) who has never shown any interest in music whatsoever is busy cramming a year or two of guitar into the summer holidays at a rate of 6-8 hours practice a day, using on-line resources. (This is also how DD started guitar).

My dd flourished once I said she didn't have to do anymore exams. She's 18 now and sometimes plays for 20mins- 1/2 hour x twice a day. Plays all sorts - from improvising pop songs to classics. She has loads of 'Songs from Musicals' types books, and I don't regret for a minute offering that as an option.

I'm a music teacher and the worst thing about my job is trying to teach someone and they don't want to learn! Teachers can't make her practise either. Don't force her, she may go back to it in her own time. It's maybe not cool at the moment. Age 14/15 is when they really decide if they are going to commit to it in my opinion. If there's no passion she won't keep it up while studying for exams too so no point in pushing it.

I hope she does keep it up though as it's a wonderful skill to have.

My DD downed tools with piano lessons at a similar age, but then carried on playing on her own, and improved massively over the next few years. She has since gone back to lessons twice, and stopped again, but it has worked for her. She is a very competent Grade 8 level pianist (excellent sight-reader etc) but just didn't want the constant grind of lessons. She plays another instrument to a higher level (took this up around about the time she stopped piano the first time).

I'd definitely explore the idea of a new teacher / different approach and repertoire first, but also maybe think about a different instrument to see if you can rekindle the interest in music. She will progress much more quickly on a second instrument as she won't be learning all the nuts and bolts of reading music and so on - just applying what she already knows to a new instrument.

I had two breaks from lessons, started around 5/6 then had a break beginning of senior school or maybe a little earlier, I then asked to go back to it as I missed it! Sometimes you just need a break, she wont loose her ability I wouldnt worry too much

There comes a point (around grade 5, at a guess) where musical skills are never lost. I honestly think that with older pre-teens and teens that they really have to want to do it - and if the desire goes away for a period of time, that doesnt mean it will never come back.

The teacher does matter, but it's not necessarily easy to predict what sort of teacher will work best. DD has loved her two guitar teachers, both jazz professionals who teach in a very non-classical way (lots of emphasis on collective playing, improvisation etc). But she also adores her very classically-oriented piano teacher, who shares DD's love of the romantic composers.

It might be she wants a break from exams for a while ? See if she would be interested in playing some of the songs from the shows she loves?

My DD had music lessons through primary school then dropped music completely when she started secondary. I assumed that was it, but a year or so later she took up a new instrument and has never looked back.

The question is whether your DD is playing the right instrument (for her) with the right teacher. At this age it becomes increasingly difficult to enforce practice unless your child really wants to play.

Have you asked her what it is about the lessons that she 'hates'?

It could be that she would prefer a different teacher who could work with her on what she likes and teach her stuff from musicals and film scores etc, rather than wading through grades.