Is it too late to learn how to play the violin?

If you're reading this, you are likely an adult who wants to learn how to play the violin. Maybe you've always wanted to play, but didn't have the time, financial resources, or support until now. Maybe you played as a kid but gave it up because life has a funny habit of always getting in the way. Or maybe you're just looking for a new creative outlet or hobby. Whatever the case, I'm proud of you for pushing outside your comfort zone and trying something new.

So, is it too late to learn violin?

The short answer is no, no matter what your age. My oldest student is 80! So I'm confident you can learn to play at any age.

However, the age that you start does typically have some bearing on what you can do with your music in the future.

I'm a Suzuki teacher, and one of the principles of the Suzuki method is starting children as young as possible. Children's brains are like little sponges, so if they learn proper foundational technique early on, that will set them up to become as successful as they want to be with their music. Suzuki students are encouraged to start at age 3, with the reason being that after age 5, learning ability already slows down. Depressing right?!

I started playing when I was 7, which is already considered "late". I have a few friends who started when they were 10 or 11, and although they were able to create careers for themselves, they had to work a lot harder than some of our peers. Think about it this way-if Susie starts playing when she's 5, and Mark starts playing when he's 10, Susie already has 5 years of experience by the time Mark is just getting started!

If you start violin as a teenager, it is widely thought that you are too old and that a career in music is impossible. However, one of my favorite stories to tell on this subject is about Professor Kenneth Goldsmith. Dr. Goldsmith was a professor at Rice University in my hometown of Houston, Texas. Rice has an incredible music program, and Dr. Goldsmith was a very highly regarded teacher. Dr. Goldsmith started playing the violin at the age of 14. By the time he was 19, he was a member of a professional orchestra. Did he have the cards stacked against him? Yes. Did he want it badly enough and make it happen? Also yes.

If you start playing in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, etc., I am not here to tell you that you cannot create a career in music. One of my former students started playing in her mid 30s and now, about 10 years later, she is going back to school to get a music degree. If you do want to play professionally one day, be kind to yourself and manage your expectations. Give yourself at least 5 years of tons of practice and consistent effort. Start small and join local orchestras and play for free.

You don't have to have professional aspirations to reap the benefits of playing music. Learning an instrument helps with coordination, fine motor skills, releases stress, and can even help ward off dementia. It's also great for building discipline, courage, perseverance, and can be a great way to create a community around you.

My advice is to think about your goals. Do you want to play for your own enjoyment? There's absolutely no age limit to that. Do you want to play professionally? Get a good teacher, practice as much as you can, and have faith in yourself.

Learning music, no matter the age, will never be a mistake.