One of my students is a heart surgeon, and he said our guitar lesson is the highlight of his week.
This was surprising. It’s strange to think a man with such an important job values his lesson so much. But it makes sense in a way. Imagine the pressure of having to save lives every day. To have to battle with the blood and veins, and apply your intricate knowledge to save someone from dying. It sure would be a release to strap on an electric guitar and bash out some Kiss or AC/DC in your time off!
Yes, my student is a classic rock fan who learns to play guitar for songs by Led Zeppelin, the Eagles, and a little Steely Dan on the side. His first love was Kiss though. He grew up listening to Kiss Alive II, playing air guitar to it, never imagining he could do it for real. A few decades later, his wife gave him a gift voucher for guitar lessons and he’s been playing ever since. Got himself an electric guitar and a small amp, now he’s playing guitar along with that same Kiss live album at home. Maybe that classic 1970s rock is a way to return to the more carefree days of his youth, before all that heart surgeon pressure set in.
I offer guitar lessons for adults, and I’ve had other students like this. For several years, I taught a high profile judge, and his friend, a rheumatologist. There was also an eye surgeon. They were all super keen about learning guitar in their spare time. It must be a great escape for these people with high pressure jobs.
It’s not just the medical profession. Another of my students is a real estate agent. He’s thinking real estate seven days a week. It’s a real obsession for him. He told me the only time he ever forgets about work is during his guitar lesson. There’s also a pilot who learns classical guitar. And not forgetting the high up academic from Sydney uni. She comes in and plays jazz and blues.
Speaking of uni, it’s said that mature age adults are keener students than the ones straight out of school. It’s the same for guitar lessons. Some of the kids that come for lessons don’t really appreciate it and don’t practice. But the adults are keen. They realise music is one of the best parts of being alive, and they were lucky enough to be born during the Golden Age of Rock.
So, busy and stressed professionals, forget your careers for a while, come in for a lesson and we’ll get to what really matters in life – rock n roll guitar! I teach in the Eastern suburbs, and for those a bit further out, I also do online guitar lessons for adults on Zoom.