“I don’t have a musical bone in my body!”
“I have no musical talent.”
As a musician and music teacher, I hear phrases like these regularly. There is a prevailing belief that talent is what it takes to excel in areas of life. But I completely disagree! Even as a teen, I didn’t see signs of special innate musical talent in myself. There were many other students that caught on quicker and didn’t seem to have to practice as much as I did. But I didn’t mind too much, because I believed I could outwork just about anyone and get where I wanted to go. And by my senior year in High School, Iwasatthetopofmyclass! Iwasalsooneoftheonlyonestogo on to study music in college and make a career of it.
Talent can give a head start, a quick jump out of the gate. But in the long term, it’s the committed effort, having good instruction, and consistency that really provides results. There’s plenty of research to back that up, and many contemporary books have been written on the subject if you’d like to read more. So if a concern that you don’t have “talent” in a given area has stopped you from trying something you’re interested in, throw that excuse away and dive in!
Best wishes!
Laura Lee Crandall Owner, KCRB
Student of the Month – Jocelyne Trujilo
Jocelyne Trujilo has been taking piano lessons at KCRB with Sara Jenkins for 3 months and she has been doing an amazing job! She is a hard worker, a student who is eager to learn, and has a wonderful attitude. Here’s a little about Jocelyne!
Why did you choose to learn piano?
I wanted to challenge myself over the summer with a new instrument.
What is your favorite thing you’ve learned so far with Sara? The piece Minuet in G
What are your future piano goals? To learn the basics and be able to sit down and play any piece, especially classical pieces. What are your other hobbies? Tai Kwon Do, horseback riding, French and Chinese, volunteering at the Johnson County Library, and classes at Nelson Atkins Museum.
What grade and school do you attend?
Freshman at Shawnee Mission South
Congratulations, Jocelyne! You’re already an amazing pianist. Keep up the good work!
