[quote]There is a big difference between "being classically trained" and knowing music theory. There are hoards of people out there who have taken years of piano lessons, violin lessons, clarinet lessons, or what have you, who can read music as easily as most people can read a newspaper, and who can play some very difficult music. Some of them even play in symphony orchestras and appear on concert stages. Assuming that they haven't memorized the piece, if you were to take the sheet music away from them, they'd be lost. They can't improvise because they don't know what to do. Because they don't know music theory from Shinola. And why not? Because many people have taken private lessons all their lives from teachers who didn't know music theory either. And believe me, teachers like that are in the majority. They've always played by rote from the written music without really knowing what it's all about. Or that there is a better—and easier—way to learn that will really put them in command of what they're doing.[/quote]

I brightened up when i saw this, as it confirms my own experience. The problem is, I don't have enough musical background to trust my own evaluation much, so I'm hoping for some more discussion. I started playing piano as a mature adult, to accompany my friends singing. In the tradition of what we sing, improvisation is at its heart, & I was advised to learn to play by ear. Of course, I do try to learn to sight-read (I think it can only help), but it's a very low priority in my practice regimen. Any thoughts???