I just heard about this gentleman and thought that others might like to read about his incredible achievement. He is an inspiration to adult learners everywhere and shows that it is never too late to make the grade - in his case, with a distinction! 😃 Here's a link to the BBC article - I hope it is available around the world:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/ce8xy4e6mxgo

In truth, Ray has played piano for years throughout his life, but that does not diminish his achievement.

"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)

An inspiration to us all.

After reading his profile online, he passed Gr. 7 years ago and had a time gap. If you get a total beginner to start piano at 60, it's more difficult to get to Gr. 8. The first thing would be to convince a senior with no experience playing an instrument he can learn piano and he has enough years left to do it. Someone like myself who already play at a Gr. 3 level, picking up piano again after a long break would be much easier.

A lot depends on the individual. When my father retired, he tried to learn the accordion that he hadn't touched for years. Playing at the beginner level, he gave up after a month. At the time he may be showing early signs of dementia. Older people tend to have medical issues that would prevent them from getting into some activities that require physical strength or dexterity. Arthritis or joint pain can keep someone away from playing an instrument.

Sometime ago there was a TV documentary about the New Horizons Music started in the US. It's a music program designed for adults with little or no experience playing an instrument. Many of the people are already 50+
https://newhorizonsmusic.org/Concept_and_Philosophy

    thepianoplayer416 Yes, I think you're right, it's harder to learn an instrument from scratch in later years, than it is to revive music skills which were learned during younger years. I liked the phrase that Ray's piano teacher used, where she said that people can be "lifelong learners". Health permitting, being a lifelong learner has plenty of benefits for retired people, it's much better than stagnating (or worse, giving up completely - I've witnessed that and I'm determined not to end up like that).

    "Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)

      I love this story, thank you for sharing it @Nightowl !

      One takeaway for me from his story is the value of having something that you’re working toward, that maybe has an externally set deadline (as opposed to something you set yourself) and that connects you with other people. His decision to work with a concert pianist to prepare probably had a huge impact on his eventual success — not just because he received advice or instruction from her, but probably as much (if not more) because it connected him to another musician and offered not just music but also social interaction around the activity of music.

        ShiroKuro Yes, being guided by a concert pianist must have helped a lot. I guess that very few people would be able to pass grade 8 without the benefit of having a teacher, and she probably helped him to finesse the exam pieces so that he passed with distinction. It appears that he also has good health and a loving supportive family around him, so he has a great quality of life. He's fortunate in many ways.

        "Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)

            Yes, of course the musical/technique benefits to having a teacher are huge, but I was thinking especially about the benefits of the social aspects...

            Nightowl He's fortunate in many ways.

            He is indeed, did you notice how long his fingers are? 😅