Hello! 

Mark here from The Happy Pianist. 

In today newsletter, let me share an interesting encounter I have.

A few weeks ago, I was at Tanjong Pagar MRT, and saw a teenage boy playing on the public piano there.

From his playing, I can say he was still a beginner. He was attempting a pop song, but missed a few notes here and there. 

Without sheet music, he seemed to be relying on memory to get the song out.

I watched from a distance, noticing how he struggled to piece the song together. Secretly, I hoped he’d be able to finish it.

Then, halfway through his playing, an adult approached him with a frustrated expression and made gestures, as if to say the boy was making "noise" rather than music. And he walk off.

The boy seemed embarrassed, stopped playing, picked up his bag, and walked away off to take the MRT.

This incident got me thinking about a poster I saw on social media.

If you or your child is learning the piano currently, I hope my message today find you well...

Anyone learning a new skill will face struggles and setbacks.

At times, you might doubt whether you’re truly cut out for it.

And sometimes, a stranger may come along (like that adult above) and leave discouraging words that add to your self-doubt.

These moments can even kill your dreams—if you let them.

But don’t let negativity hold you back.

Stopping now means you’ll never see your true potential.

Remember, every master was once a disaster.

They struggle like you did.

But they didn't give up.

So keep going. 

Embrace the challenge, and turn doubt into fuel for your success in music.

We have 2 more months to go in 2024. 

Let's finish the year on a high note! 

You can watch our Gala Concert performances on Instagram now!

We had our Happy Music Festival Gala concert at Esplanade Recital Studio back in September, we're now sharing the performances on the Festival Instagram page. They are our top piano and violin performers from this year festival. Enjoy!