Both of my parents are musicians and violinists. My father tried to give me violin lessons when I was very young, but it didn't work out. I tried it several times and quit every single time. However, I did take up piano lessons when I was eight or so and then continued taking lessons for twelve years until I was in college. I can sightread a lot of things that are on an intermediate level (Chopin mazurkas, Mendelssohn Songs without Words, Mozart sonatas, Haydn sonatas, Scriabin preludes) as long as nobody is listening to me playing.
My piano teacher was someone who had group lessons every third Saturday of the month when the students would play for each other. I was introduced to a lot of music that way including Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto, Ravel's Sonatine, and Debussy's Pour le piano. In college, I had two great professors as well. My ensemble professor was introduced me to a lot of music for piano four hands (Schubert, Bizet's Jeux de Enfants, etc.), while my other teacher introduced me to the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues.
I had some music theory when I was studying the piano, but a lot of that has been lost on me over the years. However, all of this training has helped me to read all kinds of scores which is its own pleasure.
My piano teacher was someone who had group lessons every third Saturday of the month when the students would play for each other. I was introduced to a lot of music that way including Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto, Ravel's Sonatine, and Debussy's Pour le piano. In college, I had two great professors as well. My ensemble professor was introduced me to a lot of music for piano four hands (Schubert, Bizet's Jeux de Enfants, etc.), while my other teacher introduced me to the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues.
I had some music theory when I was studying the piano, but a lot of that has been lost on me over the years. However, all of this training has helped me to read all kinds of scores which is its own pleasure.
