Did Piano Really Change My Life That Much?

Hi. My name is Marshall, and I started playing piano with my grandmother when I was just 7-and-a-half years old. Summer of 2003. Almost 14 years later, I sit here writing this story on how it changed my life for the better- and how playing an instrument will do the same for you.

Overwhelmed

I remember being just a child, going over to my grandmother's house in Northeastern Oklahoma. I walked in and instantly felt at home. She offered me something to eat. We sat down, watched some TV.. 3 o'clock swings on by and it is time for my first piano lesson! I remember sitting there and looking at her Grand Piano in awe- it was something that I had never truly imagined myself playing. I did not know where to begin. All of the keys looked the same. Some were black, and some were white. Sharps, Flats, and as many combinations as I could withstand to learn that day had me overwhelmed.

This is about what I looked like.

At the end of my first piano lesson, I had learned to play a very simple song involving five notes- "Two Black Cats."

Progression

Over the next few months, I would continue to go to my grandmother's house once or twice a week, and advance on to learn piano. Things started to become exciting for me, as I have now graduated from the beginner, beginner intermediate, beginner advanced, and beginner level 2 book. Day after day I would study these, show them to my grandmother, and would "graduate" on to the next level. At eight years of age, this was a very exciting thing. I started to play songs with a few sharps or flats in them as well.

I started to accelerate in my other studies?

There have been scientific studies that have proven that playing a musical instrument connects parts of your brain that one never knew they had before. It allows most children of my age at the time to become smarter in Mathematics, English studies, Language studies, and much more. For the first time in a long while, I had started to make A's in almost all of my subjects.

Where I am now, and how this all helps you.

Over the years, I continued to play piano. I moved on from playing with my grandmother to a professional piano teacher in 2011. I stayed with her for about 4 years. Her name was Sherri. Sherri helped me develop my love for piano professionally. I attended concerts, played in Barnes and Noble bookstore, played for friends and family, and what did I find out? I play by ear. I play by listening to music on the radio, and figuring it out myself. This, in my opinion, is extremely rewarding.

I came to find my love for music over these years. Any anxiety, depression or hatred I had seemed to flow away as I played piano. People began to notice a change in me. Piano led me to become more intelligent, loving, caring and kind towards everybody in my life. I find myself having to make sure I find time for piano these days, as the crazy college life seems to have taken over.

In conclusion, I want to encourage any of my readers of this small article to go find something that they love. I recommend going to learn to play an instrument. It is a bond that us musicians can share. It can help you lose any depression, hatred, or anxiety if you let it. Music is something I will never forget, and I encourage you to go out and give it a try for yourselves.