Playing on a higher scale

Antoinette Velikina always knew she would be a pianist. The 33-year-old from Northeast learned to play the ivory keys at age 5 while growing up in Bulgaria.

Today, she is a doctoral piano student at Catholic University of America in Northeast. She also gives piano lessons at the university and at the Harmonia School of Music and Art in Oakton.

“It’s like a sport,” Ms. Velikina says. “You have to keep your muscles in shape. It requires a lot of listening to music, going to concerts, being familiar with different artists and their way of playing. If you don’t like music, it’s difficult to be good at the piano. If you like music, you like to spend time at it. This is what it takes to be really good.”

The best students usually start in their youth, area pianists and piano teachers say. However, students who learn as adults still can master the instrument.

Children usually are mature enough to begin lessons at age 6, says Ivo Kaltchev, associate professor of piano in the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at Catholic University. He has a doctorate in musical arts in piano performance.

Young piano students need to be able to concentrate for at least a 30-minute lesson, he says. Otherwise, Kindermusik sessions, for children 6 months old or older, are sometimes recommended. In Kindermusik, a music class for preschoolers, students learn notes and rhythms through games.

Many children start piano lessons at age 10, but it’s more difficult to master the physical skills then, Mr. Kaltchev says. When children are younger, if they are shown a passage of music, they often can repeat it immediately. Playing the piano requires skills that use small muscles and bones.

“With adult students, when they study piano, physical motion is more difficult,” Mr. Kaltchev says. “It’s reverse when it comes to understanding intellectual concepts, like scales, notes and intervals.”

When beginning lessons, students learn to recognize notes and rhythms, he says. Students learn how to listen, how to play and how to read music. Beginners also need to learn the geography of the piano, such as the octave groups, the keys and pedals, he says.

“It’s like learning a different language,” Mr. Kaltchev says. “We also work on their ear. It involves singing, repetition of tunes and motifs. It’s a very complex process.”

Apart from technical skill, imagination sets great pianists apart from average musicians, he says.

“They are telling you something,” Mr. Kaltchev says. “They are touching your soul. It’s like a new discovery every time. Although you’ve heard the piece many times, they make it very special, moving and interesting. Only people with great talent can do that.”

The Suzuki method of piano is another option for young beginners, says Carol Prochazka, co-chairwoman of the piano department at Peabody Preparatory in Baltimore. She holds a doctorate of musical arts in piano performance. The community school has about 2,000 students of all ages and abilities taking lessons every week. Tuition is based on a 16-week semester, averaging about $80 per hour for a lesson.

Instead of reading music, the technique focuses on training the ear, Miss Prochazka says. The method usually is used only for children age 9 and younger. Sometimes teachers modify Suzuki training in combination with reading music.

The independence of the piano from other instruments is something most students find attractive, she says. The piano is not a single-note instrument, so musicians can play many octaves or notes simultaneously. It is more complicated than many instruments, however, requiring the use of all 10 fingers at once.

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