A few weeks ago in lessons, I gave my students a challenge: name as many composers as you can in one minute. The average? Just 2.4 composers.
One especially music-curious 9-year-old impressed me by naming 15, but many students could only think one or two big names, like Mozart or Beethoven, and several couldn’t name any at all. It was an eye-opening reminder that learning piano and truly knowing music are not always the same thing.
So throughout April, I challenged my students to participate in “Music Discovery Month.” Each week, students were encouraged to explore a different genre or era — Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist, Jazz, or Rock/Pop — and spend just a few minutes a day listening to music they didn’t already know. The goal wasn’t to memorize facts or force themselves to like every style. In fact, part of the challenge was asking:
- What do I enjoy?
- What inspires me?
- What kind of musician do I want to become?
On the last day of the month, I asked students again to name as many composers as they could in one minute. The average almost doubled. Three students named 14 or more composers, and students began referencing pieces, styles, and composers in lessons more naturally. Even students who only participated minimally showed more awareness and curiosity.
Of course, there were still students who struggled to name even one composer, and that reminded me of something important: musical listening has to become a habit, not just a one-time activity.
Listening matters because musicians are shaped by what they hear. Pianists who regularly listen to music develop stronger musical instincts, deeper expression, better stylistic understanding, and a clearer sense of what kind of music truly connects with them.
You don’t become a musician only by practicing music.
You become a musician by living with music.
So here’s my encouragement for this month:
Put on something unfamiliar, listen with curiosity, and discover what inspires you.