I have recently started taking classical lessons after several years away from the piano (I'd actually only had 2 years during college -- piano proficiency for music majors). I find myself wondering about ways I'll be able to use my skills once I get to a point where I think someone will actually want to listen to me!!!

I'm curious what y'all have thought about doing with your piano skills in the future.....just play for personal enjoyment...play at church....play for friends at parties....etc.

That's a great question. I think if I had to pick one such goal, it would be to gather friends around the piano and have them sing while I play. My brother-in-law can do this, and we have Motown and old rock tune revivals whenever he visits plus carols around the holidays. It's a blast. Then he leaves, and I can't do what he does.

Someday. Maybe someday.

For the time being, I just play for my own pleasure. But my ultimate ambition is to retire to some little out of the way island in the Carribean or South Pacific and buy one of those little thatch-roofed bars with no walls and a dance floor out under the stars and lit by paper lanterns. Then I might play for the interesting souls who travel off the beaten path (after we've both had enough to drink, of course).

For me, it's for personal ejnoyment and relaxation. I don't foresee ever having the skills for performing...maybe one or two songs for friends.

I'm not in it to entertain anyone but me. I love live music. But I can't afford to hire a band--or even a solo pianist--every night. So I decided to do it myself.

I plan to retire in another 7 or 8 years. That will give me about ten years on the piano by then. I think it would be fun to do something with the piano other than just playing at home. I don't know what the possibilities may be, or if I will be good enough by then to do anything that anyone would want to hear. Maybe just a group of people that get together and play their favorites would be fun. I Would be interested to hear what others are doing.

I've just recently got back into piano lessons after 10 years, had lessons when I was a kid but resented practising, and I was difficult to teach(I was abit deaf before I started school) so the concept of counting and the timing of ryhthm was difficult to internalize in me but that happens with practise, you say, what will I do with all this music and piano practise,what do I do with it? It's so easy just to press a button,press play and you have instant music, perfect with no mistakes. Don't worry about what you will do with your music,you have it for life. I love playing piano,an outlet for expression of feelings.

Christy