Harvey, 11, learned to play piano by watching YouTube videos

BBC News

20-05-2025

Do you ever watch baking, dance or gaming tutorials online, and did it help you learn a new skill? Well, that is exactly what 11-year-old Harvey from Norfolk did. He picked up the skills to teach himself piano in just five months by watching YouTube tutorials. "I wanted to learn because I found it therapeutic and it was really satisfying playing music like this" he told BBC Radio Norfolk. He now says he practises around two to three hours per day.
Harvey says he plays what he wants to, and enjoys classical music like Ludwig van Beethoven. He has performed at a residential homes for the elderly where his Mum works and in public spaces like at train stations. "It is really nice when you get applause from people. It makes you feel like your performance has been accepted," he said.All that practise has paid off and Harvey's new piano teacher says he is now playing at the top Grade Eight level. He has recently started learning how to read sheet music and says he is even "starting to tinker with composing my own music". He has even been invited to visit the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. He will spend time with professionals and music experts to see where his new-found talent can take him.