This is probably the most critical topic on this site. This is where I let you know why I think I can help adult piano students and why I feel that I have an advantage in doing so. This is where I must be completely honest with you and ask you to be completely honest with yourself.

My admission is that I am not a talented musician, but that I learned to play at an advanced age. Now that is a foolish thing to admit to prospective students, but I believe it is the very thing you should be looking for as you try to acquire your playing skills. It is the thing from which you will benefit the most, because I went through what you are going through less than four years ago.

I know the frustration we feel when ability doesn’t immediately follow hard work. I can tell you confidently that patience with yourself will pay off in the end. I know that it can be very lonely following your dream of being able to express yourself musically. I can help you find friendships with other folks with the same feelings and dreams.

Most students look for the most successful, most talented, most accredited pianist they can find, feeling that they can do the same thing simply by studying with the "great one". Well, you can. If you are as talented as they are and are a quick study.

I have read the writings of other teachers who advocate finding the best player when looking for a teacher. A little maturity will tell you that the best players can certainly demonstrate how something should be played, but it is very unusual to find one that can teach you how to do it.

My background is in teaching, not piano, but computers. My background is logic and productivity techniques and making things easy to understand and showing people that some skills really can be acquired if they are confident and patient and use some creative learning techniques.

Some of us learn by reading, some of us by listening, and most of us by performing something until it becomes intuitive. I will show you the things that helped me learn to play and will probably help you do the same.

Ever since I started in 2003, I have looked for piano buddies. In my mind they are the kindred spirits who understand us, who understand why we are driven to “learn piana” when we could be playing golf or bridge or engaging in some other more socially acceptable pastime. Well, here is where group piano classes shine. They are full of piano buddies. This is where I want to be. Here is my chance to help my buddies get going in this wonderfully rewarding pastime. I want to talk to them about instruments, sight reading and how to practice. I want to help them stay motivated and let them know that ordinary, hard working people can play piano just by working at it. It is not just for the talented people who take their ability for granted.

I think the best way to describe myself to you is to say that we are probably quite similar in many ways. You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t have an interest in playing piano and weren’t trying to shorten your learning curve. I'll bet you would also like to have some fun with other buddies who feel the same way.