At 72 years old, one of Ron Perry’s dreams is to make the banjo
sing with that sweet, down-home twang that drew him to the
five-string instrument in the first place.
Perry, a Morgan Hill resident, has enjoyed listening to music
his entire life, especially the banjo.
At 72 years old, one of Ron Perry’s dreams is to make the banjo sing with that sweet, down-home twang that drew him to the five-string instrument in the first place.
Perry, a Morgan Hill resident, has enjoyed listening to music his entire life, especially the banjo. But he said he’s never been adept at playing it, and though he flirted for years with the idea of seriously trying to learn, raising a family and working as a Volvo mechanic overwhelmed his intentions.
But about a year ago, after he had retired from his full-time job, Perry got down to business and signed up for banjo lessons with Kevin Corcoran, owner of the Gilroy Guitar Gallery.
“I’m not very good right now, but I’m gradually learning,” said Perry, who still works part-time. “It’s fun, it’s relaxing and it’s also a challenge. Eventually, I want to be able to get the rhythm down so I can make music, more or less.”
Perry is a prime example of a common, even growing trend: Adults learning to play musical instruments.
While some are reclaiming long-lost goals, others simply are seeking solace.
“It’s a nice way to relax or pick up a new hobby,” said Bruce Gilsenan, an instructor at Hollister Music who teaches guitar to about four adults.
The store also offers adults lessons in piano, drums, bass and flute. “And some of them want to be able to jam with their friends. Their friends play music, and they want to be able to join in, too.”
The majority of Gilsenan’s students have never done so much as picked up a guitar when they begin taking lessons, he said. He recommends beginning students carve out at least 30 minutes of practice every day in between half-hour private lessons, which take place weekly.
For a working adult with a spouse, children and numerous other commitments, that can be a bit much to ask.
“I think it’s always harder to learn when you’re older, because it’s harder to find the time to practice. There are so many distractions,” said Dan Zen, a 47-year-old Gilroy police detective with a wife and two stepchildren who takes weekly guitar lessons at the Gilroy Guitar Gallery.
Zen took guitar lessons for a few months when he was 15 but had a hard time sticking with it. He had always wanted to give it another try, and finally, two years ago, he signed up for lessons.
This time, he said, it’s for the long haul. Every Thursday evening, Zen strums away on his steel frame guitar, playing favorite tunes from the Eagles and the Rolling Stones.
“It’s my therapy,” he said. “It’s fun, and it’s something I really enjoy. I’m progressing as time goes on.”
Once practicing becomes part of the daily routine, most students see themselves gradually improve over time, said Candace Fazzio, director of Monterey Street Music Academy in Gilroy. Fazzio teaches piano to more than 50 students ranging in age from 3 1/2 to 89, the oldest Fazzio has ever taught. In April, the academy will hold its first-ever adult piano get-together, similar to a youth recital except playing is optional.
Fazzio doesn’t subscribe to the adage that an old dog can’t learn new tricks. Most mental limitations are self-imposed, she said, and the majority of students learn to overcome other limitations – such as time restrictions or physical limitations including stiff joints or arthritis. Gilsenan, the guitar teacher, agreed.
“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, I can’t do this, I have a tin ear, or my fingers are too small or too fat,’ or whatever,” he said. “But I think anyone can learn, as long as they put their mind to it.”
One of the biggest differences between teaching kids and adults is often, Fazzio said, the latter pursue music with a more sincere motivation.
“Kids are into (taking lessons) for many reasons. For some, it’s because their parents want them here,” Fazzio said. “But adults want to do it because their hearts are into it, and that helps them stick with it. … The learning curve is a little different, but because they’re in it for a different reason, I think the one cancels the other.”
Because many adults want to learn a new instrument so they can play their favorite songs, technical skills such as scales and music theory aren’t stressed as much as they are with younger students. Instead, adult students often have more leeway in choosing what they want to learn and play.
James Madera, a 60-year-old retired businessman from Gilroy, has been taking lessons with Fazzio for about five months. He takes a particular liking to classical music but also enjoys country Western. His inkling to learn the piano sparked spontaneously.
“I had a piano in the house, and it was just sitting there,” he said after a recent afternoon piano lesson. “I kept looking at it and finally said, ‘I’m going to learn.'”
Madera said his experience playing the trumpet and the guitar as a child helped him learn a new instrument, although he described his first time playing the piano as “freaky.”
“It was like my fingers wouldn’t go where they were supposed to,” he said. “I’d tell them to go on this key, and they’d go somewhere else.”
Many adult music students are retired and new to playing an instrument, but not all. John Cormany, 26, played the piano from when he was 4 until about 13.
“Then I hit puberty and decided I wanted to be a rock star instead of a piano player,” he said.
Cormany abandoned the piano and started playing the guitar, but about two years ago decided to return to his roots. He started taking lessons with Fazzio about three months ago, and he especially enjoys playing Beethoven.
“I thought I was playing pretty well, but (Fazzio) broke me down to ground zero and got me working on technique,” said Cormany, a Morgan Hill resident who owns a fire protection company in San Jose. “I want to be able to play a piece properly without having to concentrate so much on the technique. I’m really passionate about playing the piano. It’s my favorite form of expression.”
Passion coupled with determination is a recipe for success, something Perry, the banjo player, can attest.
“You can learn anything if you put your mind to it. It takes more time, naturally, being older. It’s something that doesn’t come easy,” he said. “But it’s something I wanted to do, and one way or another, I’m going to do it.”
