Three Generations to Become a Great Pianist

In classical music circles, they say that it requires three generations for a child to become great at the piano. Why is that?

I'm told that this is how it works:

Grandpa is a laborer. He works hard and toils and sweats in the fields or in his work. One day, he saves enough money to start his own business. He struggles with that too and, one day, becomes successful.

He raises a family and doesn't want his children to grow up to work in coal mines or in the farms. He wants them to be doctors or lawyers. He wants them to have culture. He wants to give them a life that he never had. He sends them to proper schooling and to study culture and the arts. He sends them to classical piano lessons too.

The children grow up to fulfill their father's dream to become professionals.

Alas, while children, they never really do become excellent at piano, even if they do show talent, because at piano lessons, even with the best teacher's in the country, when they come home, they have no one to play and practice with. And, of course, no child can become a master when they only have lessons once a week... So that child grows up and never becomes a grand master of piano.

But the grandchild? Oh, the grandchild is different.

The grandchild goes to piano lessons and, then when they return home, there is someone to play and practice with. There is someone who can read music and give them the extra help that they need... So, with talent from god, a loving parent (who knows how to play and read music) and hard work and a little luck, there is a possibility that an excellent pianist is born...

Possibly even what is called a genius.... When you stop to think about it, that's why American country musicians are so great; they grew up even playing with grandpa as children!

This video below is my son. I'm so proud of him... His mother graduated from a very famous classical music university in Japan... Of course in classical piano...

Is my son a piano genius? Probably not. But I am so happy that he has this gift of music in his life.

I'm hoping that, someday, my son can be like one of my favorite classical pianists of all time: Pianistar Hiroshi: