Make More Music this Year in Just 4 Simple Steps

In this post, you’ll learn about a simple method for goal setting designed specifically for the adult piano student.  For me, the turning over of a new year is always a time for reflection and hope for continued music-making. This time of year is a great time for musicians of all stripes to reassess and reset goals and I encourage you to do the same using my 4-step method of annual goal setting. 

STEP #1 - Reflect on the past year

For me, 2022 was a year of acceptance of slow growth. My family continued to adjust to life in a post-pandemic world, and with a 3-year-old child, that has been no small task. For myself, as a piano teacher, I re-launched my private lesson offerings, began new in-person lessons in my home studio, and reimagined my online group piano lesson offerings for the coming year.

I also celebrated the arrival of a new addition to my home music studio, my new-to-me baby grand piano! A goal that came to fruition after a 3-year long search to find an instrument that fit my budget and musical needs. I can’t wait to share new music with you this year from “Charlie”, a 90-year-old baby grand piano built by Charles Frederick Stein that has reignited my passion for playing piano daily.

As you reflect on your own goals, take a look at your current desires for making music at the piano before setting new goals. Consider whether these past goals are still relevant for you in the coming year or if it’s time to create goals that are more achievable and aligned with your current state of mind.

STEP #2 - Set realistic goals

When setting new annual goals, it’s important to try your best to ensure they are realistic and achievable. In 2022, this was especially difficult for me as a parent navigating the ever-changing needs of a toddler. I was tempted yet again to set overly ambitious goals that led to frustration and disappointment at times.

Nevertheless, I’ll continue simplifying my personal and professional goals this year to maintain a healthy work/life balance and continue sharing my passion for music-making with my students and subscribers.

This year I have a goal of learning and teaching new tunes every 2 weeks via my upcoming membership course called the VIRTUOSO Piano Club.

As a pianist, I love to play new tunes, but sometimes struggle to bring a new tune to a performance-ready level. Over the years I have come to accept that “mastery” should not be my goal for learning new tunes. If indeed I did want to learn a piece to completion, and with a level of polish that satisfies me fully, I have embraced that I needed the extra step of either creating an arrangement to help me work through all the details and document my learning progress or a performance opportunity to give me the extra adrenaline rush I need to push me over the finish line.

My hope for myself and my students is that this year we can set goals together that are challenging but solidly within our reach. Such as learning a few new pieces for performance or working steadily on building our piano skills for playing from lead sheets.

STEP #3 - Create a plan

After setting any goal, it's important to create a plan for how to achieve it. For adult piano students this might include practicing more regularly, taking lessons consistently, or finding new musical resources to help them improve a particular piano skill.

Consider setting specific, actionable steps that will help you make progress toward your goals. For example, you might decide to practice for a certain number of hours each month or to work on a specific piece to make a video recording for sharing with your friends and family.

For myself, this year I’ll be opening enrollment to my VIRTUOSO Piano Club membership, a twice-monthly live online group piano coaching session. More details are to come soon and I can’t wait to meet all the new students that will participate in making music in the club.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be solidifying my plan to launch this membership course and of course, sharing the details with you via my newsletter and YouTube channel.

STEP #4 - Find motivation and support

In order to stay on track with your piano goals this year, it can be helpful to find additional motivation and support. This might include finding a practice buddy, joining a community of piano enthusiasts, or finding a new piano teacher to help guide you. Surrounding yourself with people who are supportive and encouraging can make a big difference in helping you stay motivated and on track with your music-making in 2023.

This is one of the main reasons my new VIRTUOSO Piano Club is exciting to me. I find that group lessons are so motivational for students, and myself, as we get to see each other learning and growing throughout the year. The sense of community that comes from these regularly attended online group lessons helps us see that we all share similar struggles and successes as we tackle learning new skills and pieces together.

A free tune for the new year

The new year is a great time to reset your piano goals and start working towards making progress and improving your skills. By setting realistic goals, creating a plan, and finding motivation and support, you can make meaningful progress and achieve your piano goals this coming year.

As a bit of a motivator and challenge for you, I encourage you to download a free copy of my arrangement of “Auld Lang Syne” during this New Year’s season. Please feel free to pass it along to other music-makers in your life who share a passion for piano playing.

I hope to continue bringing you new tunes, piano skills, and ways to connect with each other in my VIRTUOSO piano lessons in 2023.