Gary Schmidt

From the Royal Conservatory to a Steinway in Loveland: How a Competition-Winning Pianist Helps Adults Finally Learn to Play

Gary Schmidt's path to a home studio in Loveland, Colorado runs through some serious musical territory: a performance degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, a Bachelor of Sacred Music with a piano major from Tyndale College, a prize at the Jeunesse Musicaux competition in Quebec, and a second-place finish in a national songwriting competition that drew more than 800 entries. Most recently, his original piano music earned an album of the year award in Europe — the recording was produced by Will Ackerman, the Grammy Award-winning founder of Windham Hill Records. Schmidt has performed across Canada, the United States, parts of Europe, and Mexico.

What makes the Loveland studio unusual is the gap it closes between that level of formal training and the kind of student who shows up at the door. A significant portion of Schmidt's students are adults — many of them returning to the instrument after years away, others picking it up for the first time. He teaches from a well-equipped home studio built around a Steinway grand piano, and he offers a no-obligation meet-and-greet session before any lessons begin. For students where distance is a concern, he is also open to traveling to their homes.

The adult learner experience comes up repeatedly in his reviews. Nancy, a retired nurse in Loveland who describes herself as an amateur with a long history of studying with different teachers, writes that Schmidt taught her 'to unlock a sense of artistic expression which has boosted my confidence as an amateur and greatly enhanced my love of music.' Susan, also in Loveland, came to lessons after years of what she calls 'plunking' at the piano and credits him with giving her the confidence to keep going even when progress felt slow. Peter, a student from Fort Collins who has worked with Schmidt for over a year, reports concrete results: 'He has helped me develop sound technique as well as better musicianship, and I feel I have made real progress in my playing.'

Schmidt's formal training is rooted in classical performance, but he teaches across a range of styles — classical, popular, playing by ear, and chord-based approaches — and has stated that he views breadth as part of what makes a balanced musician. His college background also included choral conducting and piano instruction, and he is equipped to prepare students for college entrance requirements on the more advanced end. He has played guitar since his teenage years and considers himself competent to teach it as well.

All four of his student reviews on LessonRating.com carry a five-star rating. The consistency across reviews from students at different stages — a returning adult amateur, someone brand new to structured lessons, and a student working on technique and musicianship over multiple years — suggests an adaptable approach rather than a one-size curriculum. Schmidt's own framing of his teaching aligns with that: he describes himself as patient and flexible, and emphasizes that lessons should be enjoyable while still building a real foundation.

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