There is a movement among some piano teachers to ditch the classics and only teach 20th and 21st Century music. The reasoning behind this seems to be students do not like “old” music and are much more engaged in contemporary music. I am not in this camp. I think that teaching the classics is like teaching history. It is important to know where we came from and the journey that we have taken. I tell my students if they can play Bach, they can play anyone. Although, some don’t particularly like Baroque music, they learn so much from the intricacies of the period. I can appreciate teachers who want their students to be happy, but to have an appreciation for what was is imperative. I am always thrilled when a former student contacts me and tells me they now love Baroque or Classical (era) music. It fills my heart. They have now moved into the patron category of music lovers.