Thanks Wren for sharing your experience. Given the amount of practice/dedication of other parents (which I respect a lot), I don't know if DD8 has any chance in American protégé(which is totally fine to us). She practices willingly everyday but her practice is around 45 mins. She doesn't even have more time than that to practice. She is in full time gifted program and it itself keeps her quite busy. Given for her love of piano, I guess we will keep it as it is currently (no pushing her). Maybe we will switch to a music school so she has more opportunities to perform.
I will also look into harp. The only thing with the harp it being very heavy. I wonder if it's limiting because of that to join to school band etc. We will listen together and she will see if she prefers harp.
Yesterday, I showed her recording of different instruments and she was interested in viola. Maybe She will try it in summer to see if she likes to learn.
HowlerKarma - Thanks so much for taking time to write. You always give great suggestions. As far as goals, let me try to list (writing clearly is not my strong area, maybe listing can help :-)) So here it is:
1. Find DD opportunities to play piano for audience (short term goal). She likes to perform to audience and once a year is not enough for her. Got great recommendations about this one here and will look into each one.
2. Find ways to measure her progress. Playing piano is not enough information for later, playing piano in X level is better information. This is a longer term goal. I am hoping this is going to be used somewhere in college application to list her skills vs. It is why I am after something measurable. (Maybe I am overthinking here :-))
3. She is interested in music and interested in adding a second instrument, so the goal is finding a second instrument that she will like to practice and give her better chance to participate in orchestras/bands or so.
Hope it's clear now :-)
