We were pushed, (dd was in a music and me program, within a good music school), when she wasn't 3.5 to start her in piano. We said no. I put her in a group piano that fall and within a couple of lessons, the teacher pushed again. She turned 4 in a week and we decided to go for it, thinking she had all this talent.
DD has the talent and interest, particularly composing, but not the passion required to be a pianist, which is OK but...
She is now 7, her pieces pile up, reading the music rather than quickly memorizing was a total battle. And with her schedule, homework, it is hard to keep up with the piano -- she has a high quality piano teacher who still hopes that DD will continue on a competitive track. Part of me thinks to switch piano teachers, since I know her passions are in dance, but I will not give up on the piano because there is a part of her that is drawn to playing, just not the practicing required to perform to her teacher's expectation. And then she also agrees to try for a juried concert in the spring. She agreed.
The problem lies in that she loves to play and play fast. Getting from new sheet music placed in front of her and being able to play it at the speed of sound is a "long" (for a 7 year old) process. She also likes to play other instruments, but I will not go there and even the Philharmonic programs have singled her out for composing. But interest and passion are two different things.
