“Learning an instrument, a skill, is different from learning by reading a book. Music is a living thing. You learn so much about yourself through learning to play an instrument. Its about integrity. Your ego is constantly being teased when you play, and if youre really going to meet a Beethoven sonata head-on, its not about you; its not about how good you are or how fast you can play; its really about getting beyond yourself. When you come with humility to a piece of music, its contacting the best parts of yourself — the part that feels deeply. You have to be willing to have those feelings; a lot of people arent. Music can create beautiful moments out of nothing. Youve all felt it. Anyone who relates to music knows that feeling of being touched by a piece deeply its such a privilege.”

(The above quote was taken from an interview of well-known New York piano teacher Denise Kahn by Noah Adams of NPRs All Things Considered for his book Piano Lessons).