Whether you sign up for piano, violin, or cello lessons, it is not just instrumental playing
you sign up for. Educated teachers will always offer both instrumental instruction and
musicianship because in essence one cannot have one or the other. Oftentimes I get
students that come with much advanced piece of music and ask if they could play this
song, this would be their ideal instruction. That is equal to someone who is just learning
to read and write, that they want to read for example “War & Peace” by Leo Tolstoy. You
can read it, nothing is impossible, but what about comprehension and interpretation.
What good is it just reading letters and words? It is important to read, play, and study lots
of music that is adequate to your level. Experienced teacher can guide and will have
knowledge of repertoire which they can introduce to you that will take you to that next
level. It is this guidance that is critical to your understanding of music and playing.
Musical studies is a lifetime work, takes a very long time, one grows with it, one must be
patient with oneself.