I saw this in the hallway...

The Traits of a Wonderful Pianist!

• A wonderful pianist stays focused on his/her goals. They don't let anything deter them or slow them down or stop them from reaching their goals. They are narrow minded, in the sense that they will have nothing stand in their way. The key to staying focused is knowing what you are working towards. They are not just hoping that one day they will be great. They make plans to be great no matter what, and then they take to necessary measures to achieve that goal. Some days may be hard and some days they may even feel like giving up. The important thing is, those who are committed to achieving their goal don't give up no matter what. They continue to move forward, good or bad.

• A wonderful pianist is consistent. To them this is not just a hobby that you can come to when you just want to fool around. They are serious about what they do. They practice every day and night until they get it right. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect! Practice is a key component to anyone who has a high skill level. Talent alone is not good enough. It needs to be nurtured in order to blossom. Someone who is not a talented piano player but practices often can become better than someone who doesn't practice at all but is very talented.

• A wonderful pianist is a student of his/her instrument. They not only learn how to do different techniques on the piano but they also learn why they do what they do. It's not enough just to be able to play a piece beautifully, they have to be able to interpret exactly what the composer was thinking at the time of each composition.

Hard working pianists are those few individuals who decide to go the extra mile, take the extra hour to really learn their craft totally, and do whatever it takes to achieve success!