Why your child doesn't want to play piano anymore - and what that might really mean (how even great students can slip through the cracks of music literacy)

​Most children begin music lessons through the traditional private lesson model. It’s a format that’s familiar, focused, and generally well-intentioned. Students learn a few pieces—often popular or classical “showstoppers”—and practice them repeatedly until they’re performance-ready. For many families, this feels like success.

But here’s the problem: that model isn’t designed to develop music literacy. It’s designed to prepare a polished performance.

Even with a fantastic teacher, most students in one-to-one lessons become reliant on demonstration, repetition, and rote memory. They may look and sound accomplished on a recital stage—but if you place an unfamiliar piece of music in front of them, they may not know where to begin.

At The Music Studio, we’ve built our program around solving that very problem. But even in our sightreading-based, independence-driven approach, students can still slip through the cracks.

​Why Some Students Struggle—Even in a Strong Program
Our method is different by design. In our small-group Accelerated Program, students:

• Work independently
• Read large volumes of fresh material
• Are guided, not spoon-fed, by teachers
• Develop fluency by doing—not by repeating

But here’s the honest truth: kids are wired to do what feels easy and familiar. It’s human nature.

They will:

• Gravitate toward favorite songs instead of new ones
• Memorize pieces after minimal exposure
• Skip the reading process altogether when no one’s looking
• Charm their way into playing something familiar instead of sightreading something new

And who can blame them? Reading is hard. It’s uncomfortable. It doesn’t provide the instant gratification that performance does. But it’s the only path to real, lasting skill.

Red Flags That Music Fluency Might Be Slipping
Whether you're a teacher or a parent, here are a few signs to watch for:

• Constant requests to play songs they already know
• Frustration or resistance when asked to play something unfamiliar
• Choosing the “easiest” music in their book, over and over
• Parents reporting that “they’re not practicing enough” at home
• Strong interest in recital pieces—but little interest in regular lesson work

The truth is, these signals often point to a weakening of reading skills, not a lack of motivation. When students start relying on muscle memory over music reading, frustration soon follows.

​Sightreading vs. Practicing: Why the Distinction Matters
Sightreading is the musical equivalent of reading a book. Practicing a memorized piece is more like reciting a monologue. Both have value, but only one builds true fluency.

When reading is strong:

• Students can explore new music at any time
• They progress quickly through levels
• They gain confidence and ownership of their learning

When reading is weak:

• Practice becomes repetitive
• Progress slows to a crawl
• Students grow bored, discouraged, and ultimately quit

​The Trap of Performance-Based Progress
As parents, it’s natural to want your child to shine. But when the focus becomes all about performance, students often skip the essential step of fluency. Consider these common (and well-meaning) pitfalls:

“Can they play something for Grandma?”

“We’ve been working on ‘Fur Elise’ at home.”

“We’re picking a really good recital piece.”

All of these can be innocent questions—but they also reinforce a mindset that equates memorization with mastery. And that mindset often leaves students musically stuck.

​Let’s Rethink the Practice Myth
One of the most common concerns we hear from parents is:
“They’re just not practicing enough.”

But here’s the truth: if a student is spending 20 minutes a day playing the same two pieces they’ve already memorized… that’s not valuable practice. It’s a performance loop.

Instead, we encourage this goal:
Can your child sit at the piano and play something brand new, without help?

If the answer is yes—even occasionally—then real progress is happening.

​How You Can Help
Parents play a huge role in keeping reading skills strong. Here’s how you can help:

• Ask them to play something new they learned this week
• Reassure them that struggle is part of the process
• Avoid overemphasizing recital pieces or favorites
• Trust the flow of new reading = stronger skills = easier practice

Progress isn’t always obvious in the early stages of fluency building. But when it clicks, the results are dramatic: kids start flying through their books, trying out new genres, and genuinely enjoying the process.

In Conclusion: Literacy Over Memorization
The truth is: even great students can fall into the trap of memorization and over-repetition.

At The Music Studio, we believe in building independent musicians who can sightread with fluency, explore new music with confidence, and find joy in playing—not just performing.

It’s not the easy road, but it’s the one that leads to music that lasts a lifetime.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM