Learn Piano your way with a TakeLessons expert

By Melody C. - Orlando Piano Teacher

Hello. My name is Melody, and I teach piano lessons in Orlando, a city full of many exciting attractions. I hope this little tour of the musical side of the Orlando area will help you find some interesting places to explore as you are learning to play piano!

One of my favorite places in Orlando is the Steinway Gallery in Altamonte Springs, FL. Would you like to imagine yourself as a young Liberace or as a concert pianist, performing in Carnegie Hall? Walk into this place with its seemingly endless array of gorgeous pianos under a crystal chandelier. Look around, pick one to sit at, and start playing. The Steinway Gallery has various models of grand pianos, baby grands, and uprights - some new and some used.

As you try out different pianos, you will find that each one sounds and feels slightly different. Whether it is the weight of the keys, the height of the bench, the sensitivity of the pedals, or the brightness of the sound, you will find that the more pianos you play, the more unique each one seems to you. At the Steinway Gallery, you can try out many incredibly beautiful pianos! Also, they sometimes have concerts and recitals that are fun and enriching to attend!

Another place I love to visit is the Sam Ash music store. In Orlando, there is a store on Lee Road and one on East Colonial Avenue. It is a great place to find just about anything for creating music, whether you need something small like piano lesson books or big equipment like a keyboard. Sometimes, I stop by just to play for a while on one of their keyboards. Another great thing about Sam Ash is that they have open mic nights for those daring enough to try out their musical pieces on a live audience.

Orlando has several colleges with music programs where you can hear concerts and recitals throughout the school year, especially toward the end of each semester. Valencia Community College's East Campus has various concerts and recitals throughout the year, many of which are open to the public. Recently, they hosted world-class pianist, Francesco Attesti, who taught a master class and performed an amazing concert (an experience I will never forget!). The University of Central Florida has frequent piano recitals and workshops throughout the year, as well, which are usually open to the public. You can experience a wide variety of piano music at UCF, from jazz to classical to contemporary, and you can begin to network by introducing yourself to professors and performers!

Rollins College in Winter Park, FL also hosts recitals, and it has a very famous pianist and composer you may remember from your childhood - Mr. Rogers! Fred Rogers was not simply singing about a beautiful day in the neighborhood; he also wrote the song and played it on the piano for his famous PBS TV show…And to think he studied here in the Orlando area! Wow!

One way to improve yourself as a pianist is to look for opportunities to play in public. This will help you to grow as a performer. Many churches are glad to have someone stop by on off hours and give some love and attention to their pianos. You can also sometimes find nice pianos in hotel lobbies. It never hurts to ask if you can play. The more experience you get playing in public, the better performer you will be.

The Orlando area has several little sidewalk pianos which are "everybody's piano." There is one outside a café near the Morse Museum on Park Avenue in Winter Park, and another outside the Red Lion Pub on Howell Branch Road. If you are in the area, it can be fun to sit down and play a few tunes, or you can enjoy listening while someone else plays. As you learn more and more from your piano lessons in Orlando, you will find that you often enrich the lives of others who are simply passing by and overhear you relishing a moment at such a piano.

I hope you have enjoyed your little tour with me today. Now, get out there and have fun taking piano lessons in Orlando and exploring the city's wonderful musical community!