13 Summer Playing Projects for Pianists

Happy summer! For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is a time of warm weather, frosty drinks, beaches, and relaxation. When the outside beckons, and travel plans interrupt our routines, it can be challenging to find the discipline to keep to the practice schedules we follow more easily when the weather isn’t so inviting. I’m no exception. I guess that’s why each summer I find it easier to surrender to the energy of the season rather than fight against it.

Summer is the time to try something new. It’s a season to prioritize pleasure over productivity. It’s the perfect season to be playful at the piano. The summer projects I suggest in this post don’t require a lot of time. Some of them may awaken new musical interests, and some may be things you already do in your own practicing. Hopefully one or more of them will encourage you to experiment this summer, to approach the piano with the wonder of a child, and to prioritize pleasure over productivity. After all, September awaits. For now, let’s have some fun!

Perform a piece for someone else

Pick your favorite song and play it for your least critical friend or family member. Bring your smile with you and play from the heart.

Write a song

Never written a song? Don’t think you can compose? Why not try it anyway? You don’t need to be good at it to have fun.

Improvise an arrangement of a song you love

Escape the tyranny of the written notes by making your own arrangement of a favorite song.

Learn something by ear

Pick something easy, something you know well, and go for it.

Learn a loved one’s favorite song and play or record it for them

Your grandmother’s favorite hymn, your best friend’s favorite song—why not learn it, play or record it, and give it to the person you love as a gift?

Try playing something in a style you’ve never played before

If you’re a classical player, learn some jazz or rock. If you’re a jazz player, learn something classical. Stretch your ear and your mind.

Learn a piece of music you’ve never heard before

Read through that book of musical numbers I know you have on your piano. Pick one you don’t know and learn it without listening to a recording of it.

Learn some music that uses non-standard notation

Whether it be the music of a composer like George Crumb or a lead sheet, stretch your mind by learning something that with non-standard notation.

Play 4-hand music with a friend

Plan a play date with a pianist friend, pull out a stack of 4-hand music, and laugh yourselves silly making music together.

Accompany the friend or family member who always wants to sing

You know that person in your circle who always sings along to any music that’s playing? They’re dying to sing a solo. Make this the summer you accompany them on the piano.

Pick a short piece and learn it by September 1

Keep it short, at or below your playing level, and make certain it’s something you love, then go for it. You’ll be astonished by how well you’ll be playing it when September arrives.

Play something easy on a public piano

Those refurbished public pianos that are scattered around cities all over the globe? You’re a pianist—play them! Pick something you know well and entertain strangers with your music.

Memorize a piece of music

If you’re like I am and you prefer to play using music, challenge yourself to memorize a short piece this summer. It’s good for the brain and also our confidence.

My best suggestion? Have fun this summer—both at the piano and away from it. After all, as John Cage famously said, “Everything you do is music, and everywhere is the best seat.”

Photo by Ethan Robertson, courtesy of UpSplash