Today we’d like to introduce you to John Nielsen.
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Becoming a piano teacher was just about inevitable. I grew up in a very musical family. Mom and dad met in college, sitting next to each other in the orchestra. Dad was a high school band director, mom taught piano lessons from our home. She was my first teacher, sitting me down at the keyboard when I was 5. I remember being at the piano all the time – practicing my lessons, then trying out all the books that mom had for her students. Along with the piano, I played trombone through college, touring China with the University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble in 1979. I also played in a variety of bands through my 20’s. This was in the dark ages before the internet, so we would figure out the songs by ear. It was a lot of fun, and a great education in learning song structure, theory and harmony. That love of music and learning has stuck with me and shaped much of what I do.
For years, I thought of myself as a player, but not a teacher. I loved my experience taking lessons from some terrific teachers but didn’t see myself taking up that mantle. After being asked repeatedly, “Do you teach? I’d love to have my kids take lessons from you!”, I decided to dive in, and – mind blown – I found that I loved it! I discovered that I felt as much joy out of hearing my students play a piece, master a tricky concept or sing and play a song they loved as when I did the same thing. Now, 30+ years in, I’m still loving it!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Moving from part-time to full-time teaching was a real leap of faith. I was turning down potential students because I had a limited amount of time to teach while working a ‘regular’ job. But…more and more I came to see that teaching was my passion, and I decided to dive in all the way. The nature of teaching lessons is that your studio is always in flux – students move on, new students come in to take their place. Learning to roll with those changes and still thrive has been an adventure!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I want students to love music and the piano as much as I do. I have students ranging in age from 5 – 80. It’s never too late to start playing or get back into the instrument. I teach a great method for beginners of all ages called Simply Music. It’s a playing-based approach to the piano that emphasizes learning to play recognizable, enjoyable pieces before learning to read notes. I’ve taught Simply Music for nearly 20 years and love the results. Students do, too!
I also enjoy tailoring a student’s piano experience to what they like. Want to sing and play? We can do that. Want to impress your mother-in-law with some Beethoven? We can do that, too. Want to learn music from your favorite video game or movie? Sure!
One thing that I’ve been seeing is more adults either starting or re-starting lessons. I love working with adult students! They’ve made the decision on their own that learning the piano is something they want to do and are really dedicated to it. There’s a lot of research available on the cognitive, emotional and physical benefits of playing the piano. I know from my own experience that sitting down at the piano is a great stress reliever – whatever mood I’m in, there’s a piece or song that fits.
I love those ‘light bulb’ moments when a student connects with a piece of music. That’s what keeps me teaching. Learning the piano should be fun. Is it hard work? Sure, but the payoff is AMAZING!
What are your plans for the future?
I love to hike and travel. With 2 of my daughters and 3 (soon to be 4) grandkids living in Europe, a trip overseas is pretty much an annual event. This year I’ll be combining a trip to see them with a belated honeymoon to Italy with my wife Amy. I hiked the West Highland Way in Scotland with a group of friends last summer and we plan to hike the Camino de Santiago in Portugal next year. After that…who knows?
When it comes to teaching, I don’t have any plans to slow down. Why would I? I’m having too much fun! As long as there are students who want to learn to play and have fun doing it, I’ll be here. (Sounds a little bit like a superhero, doesn’t it?) 😄😄😄
Contact Info:
- Website: https://johnspiano.studio
- Instagram: @johns_piano_studio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/me/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnspianostudio990
