One of the greatest joys in my life has always been teaching.
I remember one particular student — a retired teacher in her sixties who had always wanted to play accordion but thought she was “too old to start.” She came to her first lesson nervous, convinced she had no rhythm and “no musical bone in her body.”
We started simple. I didn’t make her read notes. Instead, I taught her to feel the music. We worked on basic chords and that rolling blues bass pattern I love so much. Week after week she practiced, sometimes frustrated, sometimes laughing at her own mistakes.
Then one Tuesday afternoon it happened.
She played her first full blues run — left hand pumping that steady bass, right hand dancing over the keys — and when she finished, she looked up at me with the biggest, brightest smile I’ve ever seen. Tears in her eyes. “I can’t believe that was me,” she whispered.
In that moment I saw exactly why I teach. It’s not about creating perfect musicians. It’s about giving people the joy of making music with their own two hands — of feeling that rush when something clicks and the instrument finally sings.
She went on to play at family gatherings and even joined a small community group. Every time she messages me a new video of her playing, my heart still swells with the same pride.
That’s the magic of teaching: watching someone discover they do have music inside them after all.
Have you ever had a musical breakthrough that surprised you?
Tell me about it below — those moments are pure gold.
Ready to create your own breakthrough? Check out my Lessons page. Whether you’re brand new or returning to music, I’d love to help you find your sound.