Reading Piano Scores

When learning the piano, we have all struggled with score reading. On most scores, there lies treble clef, bass clef, key, time signture, accidentals etc... Especially on a piano score, there ain't just one line of notes. Many things are happening at the same time.

We all wonder, how important is it to really look at the score and play it?

Personally, and amazingly, I find Sight-Reading not so important as I mature.

Sure, there were those days, where we used Sight-Reading books, from Step 1 to the highest level, endless flashcards, playing stacks of pieces specially written for Sight-Reading. It is nice to be able to play a piece immediately by simply looking. Definitely the composers wrote music using a pen, for us to look at it.

I would choose technique over Sight-Reading, because I find technique more important.

Without good technique and fast fingers, you will never be able to translate your mind's notes, onto your fingers, and then onto the keyboard. Agility matters too, especially when hands go on opposite directions. How can you Sight-Read running passages, if your technique for Scale isn't good, right?

By listening to your Sight-Reading piece, you will know your errors even before you count the notes. Yes, it is possible, you can already imagine the tune, if you are not talentless.

Well well well, Sight-Reading, embrace it, teach it, master it. But, never get too emotional with it. After all, when you perform, it is about performance.