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Never Too Late: My Musical Life Story
“If I could learn to play the cello well, as I thought I could, I could show by my own example that we all have greater powers than we think; that whatever we want to learn or learn to do, we probably can learn; that our lives and our possibilities are not determined and fixed by what happened to us when we were little, or by what experts say we can or cannot do.”Best known for his brilliant insight into the way children learn, John Holt was also an intrepid explorer of adult learning. At the age of forty, with no particular musical background, he took up the cello. His touching and hilarious account of his passionate second career demolished the myth that one must start an instrument (or a sport, or a language) in early childhood, and will inspire any reader who dreams of taking up a new skill.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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May 26, 2019
Maybe because it started with the author’s childhood and youth reminiscences (linked to music) and these concern a far away time and place (the USA between the 1930ies and 50ies), I did not find the beginning of this book very exciting.
Probably because I am very ignorant music-wise, except for a few obvious ones, most of the songs and musical references of that time, were quite alien to me. I started having some fun, though, as soon as I decided to try googling some of those tunes.
And about 1/3 into the book, when Holt starts talking about the “present” (meaning the late 70ies) I was completely won over and remembered why I loved Holt's writing so much when I first heard about homeschooling and unschooling, many years ago. His capacity to observe and think about his day-to-day experience in a totally out-of-the box way is truly fascinating and inspiring.
I particularly liked his reflections on teaching (not just music teaching) and on how people need different kinds of teaching depending on their specific personality and stage of learning. A few quotes will illustrate this better than I ever could:
“The trouble with most teachers of music or anything else, is that they have in the back of their minds an idea more or less like this: ‘Learning is and can only be the result of teaching. Anything important my students learn, they learn because I teach it to them.’ ” (…) “All my own work as teacher and learner has led me to believe quite the opposite, that teaching is a very strong medicine, which like all strong medicines can quickly and easily turn into a poison. At the right time (...) and in very small doses, it can indeed help learning. But at the wrong times, or in too large doses, it will slow down learning or prevent it altogether. The right kind of teacher can be a great help to a learner, particularly of music. The wrong kind can be worse than none.”
“When I began to play the cello, and took lessons from Hal Sproul, he was the perfect teacher for me. I loved working with him, and can hardly imagine how I could have gotten started without him or someone like him. When, at age fifty, I began to play again, I took three lessons from a cellist friend, then stopped. Though I have since played a good deal of chamber music under professional coaching, I have had no further individual lessons. This seems to shock many people. When they ask, "Who are you studying with?" and I say, "No one right now," they are surprised; some even become indignant or angry. Why am I not taking lessons, they demand to know. How do I expect to learn anything unless I do! The answer is that some of what students get from their teachers, I no longer need, or can get in other ways, some I am not yet ready for, and some I don’t want at all. One of the main reasons many students take lessons is so that they will practice. Again and again you hear them say, ‘I have to go and practice. I have a lesson coming up, and my teacher will jump down my throat if I’m not prepared.’ I don’t need any such goad or threat. I like to play four hours a day, more if I can. Travel, or the pressure of other work, often make this impossible, but if I don’t get close to four hours of playing I always feel the day is a bit wasted. Also, teachers suggest to students exercises to work on and music to play. Beginners need this. Without Hal Sproul’s suggestions, I would have had no idea how to begin. (...) But now I know what music there is to play, enough for ten lifetimes, and if I need a particular kind of exercise, know ten people to ask. Time is my problem, not ignorance about what to play.”
“To the beginner the teacher also suggests ways to organize practice time. (...) He gives feedback and corrections about the students’ playing that they themselves don’t yet know enough to make. He solves technical problems for them (...). He suggests how they might interpret the music, i.e., says, play louder here, softer there, lighter here, slower there. He makes judgments about the students’ progress. And, if he is good, he inspires by his own example; the students are eager to practice not because they are afraid of the lesson but because they want to make music as beautiful as their teacher’s. All this help was valuable to me at the start. Now, for the most part, I no longer need it. Organizing my practice hours, and keeping enough variety in my practice, is a problem interesting in itself; I like to think about it, wouldn’t want to turn it all over to someone else. (…) The more musical puzzles I figure out, the more I can figure out. And I don’t need weekly judgments about my progress, either to scold or reward. (...) The time will come, or at least I hope it will, when I will need more feedback and advice about fine points of execution and interpretation than I can get by myself.”
“It is not our proper business as teachers, certainly not music teachers, to make decisions and judgments about what people are or are not "capable" of doing. It is our proper business, above all in music, to try to find ways to help people do what they want to do."
What a pity Holt is no longer among us. But what a joy to know that there are still a few of his books that I haven’t read yet.
Probably because I am very ignorant music-wise, except for a few obvious ones, most of the songs and musical references of that time, were quite alien to me. I started having some fun, though, as soon as I decided to try googling some of those tunes.
And about 1/3 into the book, when Holt starts talking about the “present” (meaning the late 70ies) I was completely won over and remembered why I loved Holt's writing so much when I first heard about homeschooling and unschooling, many years ago. His capacity to observe and think about his day-to-day experience in a totally out-of-the box way is truly fascinating and inspiring.
I particularly liked his reflections on teaching (not just music teaching) and on how people need different kinds of teaching depending on their specific personality and stage of learning. A few quotes will illustrate this better than I ever could:
“The trouble with most teachers of music or anything else, is that they have in the back of their minds an idea more or less like this: ‘Learning is and can only be the result of teaching. Anything important my students learn, they learn because I teach it to them.’ ” (…) “All my own work as teacher and learner has led me to believe quite the opposite, that teaching is a very strong medicine, which like all strong medicines can quickly and easily turn into a poison. At the right time (...) and in very small doses, it can indeed help learning. But at the wrong times, or in too large doses, it will slow down learning or prevent it altogether. The right kind of teacher can be a great help to a learner, particularly of music. The wrong kind can be worse than none.”
“When I began to play the cello, and took lessons from Hal Sproul, he was the perfect teacher for me. I loved working with him, and can hardly imagine how I could have gotten started without him or someone like him. When, at age fifty, I began to play again, I took three lessons from a cellist friend, then stopped. Though I have since played a good deal of chamber music under professional coaching, I have had no further individual lessons. This seems to shock many people. When they ask, "Who are you studying with?" and I say, "No one right now," they are surprised; some even become indignant or angry. Why am I not taking lessons, they demand to know. How do I expect to learn anything unless I do! The answer is that some of what students get from their teachers, I no longer need, or can get in other ways, some I am not yet ready for, and some I don’t want at all. One of the main reasons many students take lessons is so that they will practice. Again and again you hear them say, ‘I have to go and practice. I have a lesson coming up, and my teacher will jump down my throat if I’m not prepared.’ I don’t need any such goad or threat. I like to play four hours a day, more if I can. Travel, or the pressure of other work, often make this impossible, but if I don’t get close to four hours of playing I always feel the day is a bit wasted. Also, teachers suggest to students exercises to work on and music to play. Beginners need this. Without Hal Sproul’s suggestions, I would have had no idea how to begin. (...) But now I know what music there is to play, enough for ten lifetimes, and if I need a particular kind of exercise, know ten people to ask. Time is my problem, not ignorance about what to play.”
“To the beginner the teacher also suggests ways to organize practice time. (...) He gives feedback and corrections about the students’ playing that they themselves don’t yet know enough to make. He solves technical problems for them (...). He suggests how they might interpret the music, i.e., says, play louder here, softer there, lighter here, slower there. He makes judgments about the students’ progress. And, if he is good, he inspires by his own example; the students are eager to practice not because they are afraid of the lesson but because they want to make music as beautiful as their teacher’s. All this help was valuable to me at the start. Now, for the most part, I no longer need it. Organizing my practice hours, and keeping enough variety in my practice, is a problem interesting in itself; I like to think about it, wouldn’t want to turn it all over to someone else. (…) The more musical puzzles I figure out, the more I can figure out. And I don’t need weekly judgments about my progress, either to scold or reward. (...) The time will come, or at least I hope it will, when I will need more feedback and advice about fine points of execution and interpretation than I can get by myself.”
“It is not our proper business as teachers, certainly not music teachers, to make decisions and judgments about what people are or are not "capable" of doing. It is our proper business, above all in music, to try to find ways to help people do what they want to do."
What a pity Holt is no longer among us. But what a joy to know that there are still a few of his books that I haven’t read yet.
July 6, 2007
Not sure how I found out about this book, but I have recommended it to many people. John Holt was an educator who taught and wrote books about how children learn, and how our educational system takes all the joy out of learning. He had no musical background, but in college sang with the glee club and then later decided to take up the flute. After making some progress, he decided to take up a much more difficult instrument, the cello. His book is about that journey and overcoming self-doubt and fear and playing for the joy of playing and not to compare yourself to anyone else. Taking up piano as an adult myself, i drank in his words. This book is very touching and wise and will inspire anyone not to buy into the lost opportunity mentality. I still am touched by his descriptions of rehearsing with his "eyes stinging" from the beauty of the music.
March 7, 2014
This book has been a life changer for me. I've owned a guitar for over 50 years, but have only really played for a portion of that, riding along in a rut for the rest of that time. A few years ago I realized I like to sing, and had begun to put the two together when I picked up this book.
Never Too Late is an amazing memoir of a man who dabbled in music in his youth, but then took up the cello in earnest in his 40s, and went on to become an accomplished musician.
Inspired by the book, I found a wonderful music teacher just a short distance form home. Between this book and my teacher, I've been inspired to learn to read music, something I'd given up on long ago. I'm also getting some real voice training, and experience in ensemble playing.
In short, this book has moved me off my comfort zone, and propelled me to a whole new level, and into a whole new world of music.
Never Too Late is an amazing memoir of a man who dabbled in music in his youth, but then took up the cello in earnest in his 40s, and went on to become an accomplished musician.
Inspired by the book, I found a wonderful music teacher just a short distance form home. Between this book and my teacher, I've been inspired to learn to read music, something I'd given up on long ago. I'm also getting some real voice training, and experience in ensemble playing.
In short, this book has moved me off my comfort zone, and propelled me to a whole new level, and into a whole new world of music.
October 13, 2009
What a fabulous discussion on the nature of learning. As both an unschooler and an aspiring cellist, John Holt speaks volumes on how people really learn, and the true value and work of a good teacher. He even inspired me to learn more about classical music!
May 19, 2012
Touted as a guide to learning as an adult written by educational writer John Holt about his learning the cello at age 40 it disappoints a bit on this front. It's more of an autobiographical look at his love and learning of music through his life. The adult learning info was valuable but could have fit in a pamphlet. Still an enjoyable read and I think someone who learns an instrument as an adult would related well to the book and enjoy it.
March 17, 2024
As soon as I heard the premise, I knew I needed to read this book. Very few adults have made time for serious music when facing the challenge as complete beginners. Even fewer persist. Holt was one of the rarer ones who not only started as an adult, but quit for several years and then started again.
As an adult beginner myself (I picked up violin in my mid-30s without any prior music experience), I was eager to hear what advice or insights Holt offered. He had some, but not as many as I would have hoped for, and few that I didn't already know first hand, just made more explicit. For example, how much more informative and pleasurable it is to work on real music instead of exercises. He did have an exceptional way of talking about the performances he had given, with strong emotional language and clarity; these passages I found stirring and encouraging.
The book took an awfully long time for me to get through because despite an exciting beginning--a day in the life approach--he zipped all the way back to childhood and rambled on about his earliest musical memories and experiences, which I think contributed to him personally but to the book not at all. It wasn't until about halfway through this slog, when he picks up the flute, that I became engaged with it again.
The book ends with him a few years before his death talking about what he has given up to pursue music seriously, final words are: "back to work." I wish someone--the publisher, a friend--had written a posthumous coda about his musical career in his final years, but I know this isn't really an appropriate longing for a memoir ending.
I would definitely recommend it to music teachers (with the caveat that they skip a lot in the beginning) because what the book did best was share what it is like to be an adult beginner. But for adult beginners themselves, I'm not sure it can do more than say, "same."
As an adult beginner myself (I picked up violin in my mid-30s without any prior music experience), I was eager to hear what advice or insights Holt offered. He had some, but not as many as I would have hoped for, and few that I didn't already know first hand, just made more explicit. For example, how much more informative and pleasurable it is to work on real music instead of exercises. He did have an exceptional way of talking about the performances he had given, with strong emotional language and clarity; these passages I found stirring and encouraging.
The book took an awfully long time for me to get through because despite an exciting beginning--a day in the life approach--he zipped all the way back to childhood and rambled on about his earliest musical memories and experiences, which I think contributed to him personally but to the book not at all. It wasn't until about halfway through this slog, when he picks up the flute, that I became engaged with it again.
The book ends with him a few years before his death talking about what he has given up to pursue music seriously, final words are: "back to work." I wish someone--the publisher, a friend--had written a posthumous coda about his musical career in his final years, but I know this isn't really an appropriate longing for a memoir ending.
I would definitely recommend it to music teachers (with the caveat that they skip a lot in the beginning) because what the book did best was share what it is like to be an adult beginner. But for adult beginners themselves, I'm not sure it can do more than say, "same."
October 2, 2015
Because cello. And adult beginners. Good to know I'm not alone on this crazy venture.
February 28, 2018
John Holt has a wonderful attitude about life, that we should be excited and interested in the things we do, and if we are not, then we need to take care of whatever is wrong so that we can have that interest. When Holt first plays the cello, he has a sort of magical experience and he says that at that point in his life (age 40), he had learned to pay attention to such experiences, because they don’t happen very often and indicate that you are finding something for which you have a passion. Of course, he talks about the hard work that is necessary between those magical moments, but even to have a magical moment at all, Holt realizes is very important in life, and this sort of attitude about nurturing passion is constant throughout the book.
Holt seems to have what some would call a high "emotional intelligence." He doesn't usually lecture about what to do, but instead simply talks of his own experience in an honest and insightful way, and through the nature of his natural excitement for the topic and his ability to be relatable to others, he conveys what we all need, as musicians who are starting or attempting to become serious at an older age, which is the excitement for the topic itself.
Holt seems to have what some would call a high "emotional intelligence." He doesn't usually lecture about what to do, but instead simply talks of his own experience in an honest and insightful way, and through the nature of his natural excitement for the topic and his ability to be relatable to others, he conveys what we all need, as musicians who are starting or attempting to become serious at an older age, which is the excitement for the topic itself.
December 30, 2019
I am 77 and he was in his mid forties when he wrote this book! While I agree with the book title I found the title to be misleading as I started and continued to read the book. While it is true that he began to play his cello in his fourth decade, his experience and knowledge of Music was deep and vast giving him a head start when he picked up a stringed instrument.
So when I finally picked up my cello I felt like I could be up and running in no time. I maybe running but surely I am not up!
It is a fun read but do not read it thinking that all you need to do is to follow his enthusiastic progress.
Clearly the learning curve at 77 is much steeper than three decades earlier. But having said so I am glad I read this book and that I am enjoying planting my cello.
So when I finally picked up my cello I felt like I could be up and running in no time. I maybe running but surely I am not up!
It is a fun read but do not read it thinking that all you need to do is to follow his enthusiastic progress.
Clearly the learning curve at 77 is much steeper than three decades earlier. But having said so I am glad I read this book and that I am enjoying planting my cello.
December 14, 2017
As a teacher, I brainstormed ways to help my students in the learning process; so I resonated with much of this book. Others may not find this type of autobiography interesting - I did. I wish I knew the rest of the story. How much he had advanced before his death just a few years after the writing of the book.
I had thought that this book might be more direct in its advice to adult music students, but that was not the type of teacher John Holt was. He hoped others would learn by hearing his experience. I have.
I had thought that this book might be more direct in its advice to adult music students, but that was not the type of teacher John Holt was. He hoped others would learn by hearing his experience. I have.
December 22, 2025
I love a book like this - something pulled out of thin air. No expectations, no hype. A friend I sing with gave this to me as a thank you gift. He said it resonated with him because it's a memoir about a guy learning to play the cello late in life, just like my friend had rediscovered singing. It was written in 1978 and the author's attitudes, especially towards learning, are of their time, but it's a fun, enlightening journey as he goes from being a music fan to a music maker. I'm glad I read this. Thank you, Andy!
February 14, 2018
I expected an inspiring memoir about an aging man learning to play the cello. It’s that, but much more. Holt charts his efforts throughout his adult years to pursue his love of music despite the demands of a rich and productive life. The book makes the reader think a lot about the choices, balances, and rhythms of life as we raise our kids, pay the bills, and try to fit in the things that make us human along the way. I highly recommend it.
November 16, 2020
I love all John Holt books that I’ve read. This one was different in that it’s about learning music as an adult. As a very amateur musician trying to get better by teaching myself, I appreciated many of his insights.
“Are there, then, no limits to the possible? Of course there are limits. But they are much further out than we think.”
“Are there, then, no limits to the possible? Of course there are limits. But they are much further out than we think.”
August 28, 2017
Enjoyable. Interesting to read a memoir by a writer that covers a subject outside the field they've written most about. Learning an instrument as an adult and the way children learn are of course related—it was interesting how he wove both together.
May 20, 2023
The book has nice stories from Holt's life about learning music. If it were just that I'd have given it 3 stars. But the final chapter has amazing insights about the learning process that are just too good to miss.
March 2, 2025
lovely book, I enjoyed learnign about the author's journey through the wonderful world on music and his adventures in learning to pleay the cello, very inspirational!
June 29, 2016
Before starting this book, I didn't research the author at all, and when I eventually did realize he passed away many years ago, I was very disappointed. He seems like such a lovely person and offers up so many insightful and thoughtful observations about learning to play the cello. His book is as relevant today as it was when it was first published.
There are so many passages in the second half that I read and reread. He is able to put into words things that I have experienced during practice and orchestra rehearsals, that I was never able to fully express. His documentation of his growth as a musician really reflects my experiences and is inspiring to anyone feeling frustrated or discouraged.
Near the end of the book there is an amazing paragraph where he writes about stage fright and how, to overcome it, one has to achieve complete musical focus and "musical immersion." I read this on the day where I had finally achieved that in a performance, and it was so validating and interesting to read this perfect description of my experience.
There are many quotes and paragraphs I would love to copy out of this book and stick on my fridge. And in fact, I probably will do just that! I highly recommended this book not just to anybody learning the cello, but to anyone attempting to learn any musical instrument.
The only thing that prevented me from getting this book 5 stars is that it required a good editor. There are quite a few pages in the first half that I skipped over because they were just about his general experiences with music or with elementary school teaching, and I wasn't very interested. I suppose they provided some kind of context for his musical journey, but I don't think it was relevant enough to actually include in the book.
There are so many passages in the second half that I read and reread. He is able to put into words things that I have experienced during practice and orchestra rehearsals, that I was never able to fully express. His documentation of his growth as a musician really reflects my experiences and is inspiring to anyone feeling frustrated or discouraged.
Near the end of the book there is an amazing paragraph where he writes about stage fright and how, to overcome it, one has to achieve complete musical focus and "musical immersion." I read this on the day where I had finally achieved that in a performance, and it was so validating and interesting to read this perfect description of my experience.
There are many quotes and paragraphs I would love to copy out of this book and stick on my fridge. And in fact, I probably will do just that! I highly recommended this book not just to anybody learning the cello, but to anyone attempting to learn any musical instrument.
The only thing that prevented me from getting this book 5 stars is that it required a good editor. There are quite a few pages in the first half that I skipped over because they were just about his general experiences with music or with elementary school teaching, and I wasn't very interested. I suppose they provided some kind of context for his musical journey, but I don't think it was relevant enough to actually include in the book.
November 30, 2013
Even though the book is 121 pages too long, I give it 5 stars because this is the book that motivated me to begin learning the cello 12 years ago. It also introduced me to the Bach Cello Suites, for which I will always be grateful.
I played violin as a kid but ultimately it was the cello that I fell in love with. I figured it was too late to learn cello and kept playing violin through high school. I started learning how to play cello 12 years ago after I first read this book but then, because of the kids, I had to set the cello aside after only a year or less of lessons. Now because of the kids (my youngest is learning cello) I have started to reawaken my cello from its 12 year hibernation, which is more of a daunting task than I anticipated so I read this book again, beginning with page 121 (it's not necessary to read the first 121 pages because I was not at all interested in his early life). He starts talking about learning the flute on page 121 and then moves on to learning cello. I especially appreciate that he talks about how he set aside his cello for years at a time and his honestly about his insecurities. His tips and references to various classical pieces are quite helpful. If you are at all interested in learning the cello as an adult then you should read this book (well, the last 121 pages of it anyway).
I played violin as a kid but ultimately it was the cello that I fell in love with. I figured it was too late to learn cello and kept playing violin through high school. I started learning how to play cello 12 years ago after I first read this book but then, because of the kids, I had to set the cello aside after only a year or less of lessons. Now because of the kids (my youngest is learning cello) I have started to reawaken my cello from its 12 year hibernation, which is more of a daunting task than I anticipated so I read this book again, beginning with page 121 (it's not necessary to read the first 121 pages because I was not at all interested in his early life). He starts talking about learning the flute on page 121 and then moves on to learning cello. I especially appreciate that he talks about how he set aside his cello for years at a time and his honestly about his insecurities. His tips and references to various classical pieces are quite helpful. If you are at all interested in learning the cello as an adult then you should read this book (well, the last 121 pages of it anyway).
July 31, 2016
His love of music and for learning infects the reader. I love what he undertakes-- learning to play guitar, flute, then cello as an adult, without formal music training. He teaches himself to read standard notation, trains his own ear by using familiar and favorite music as examples. Truly inspiring. This book can give hope to other adult music lovers without formal musical education, that they can learn to play musical instruments.
I truly wish that I had known about this book earlier in my life and would have spent more time playing music as a young adult. I mistakenly thought that an adult could not learn a new musical instrument. This book and my current experience learning the guitar in my late 40s showed me the error of that assumption. Old dogs can and should learn new tricks.
The writing has a charming and compassionate voice but tends to ramble.
I truly wish that I had known about this book earlier in my life and would have spent more time playing music as a young adult. I mistakenly thought that an adult could not learn a new musical instrument. This book and my current experience learning the guitar in my late 40s showed me the error of that assumption. Old dogs can and should learn new tricks.
The writing has a charming and compassionate voice but tends to ramble.
April 28, 2013
Perhaps I just got a vibe that it is a little pompously written. He literally wrote about every little step of his life. But perhaps what is most important is that he set his mind to learn and he made time in his schedule, and life choices to do so. If only my students could really understand this. It doesn't have to be just music, but just a choice of what you commit to.
November 9, 2016
I stumbled across this as a music student in college. Introduced me to John Holt and changed my life forever (and I hate when people say that). If you want to learn something, go and learn it. This was my gateway drug that introduced me to the world of homeschooling and inspired me as a public school teacher (just because I work in the system doesn't mean I can't also work to change the system).
April 10, 2016
Wow. Took me a while to get through but some great inspiration for my own teaching and learning
January 3, 2013
lovely description of determination
April 28, 2014
Cello rocks!
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