This morning several of my piano students came together for a piano recital, one of those dreaded events where students have to play in front of each other, as well as family and friends. Thanks to the graciousness of the school where I work, the event was held in a nice library with the use of a really great piano.

Having played the piano for a few years myself (like, 40), I know performing can be stressful, especially for younger students. The adrenaline is pumping, and mistakes get made. But it’s one of the best ways to not only show what has been learned, but also to stretch beyond what is comfortable. When you learn a piece of music well enough to play it at home by yourself, that’s one thing; when you learn it well enough to play it in front of a room full of people, that’s another level entirely.

We’d rather do what’s comfortable, but if we stay at that level, we’ll never change. To grow, we have to stretch and do things that are hard for us. That’s not only true of playing music – it’s true of living life.

So, thanks to my students today for coming together, pushing past the fear and giving some great performances. My guess is that when I see you for your next lessons over the next few weeks, you’ll have a level of confidence you didn’t have before today!