[jacquesm]

> in reaction to the implicit assumption in the post that learning to play the piano means learning to play by reading a score

And even that wasn't implied, I'm well aware of many people playing piano at a level that I can only dream of that couldn't read a score if their lives depended on it.

[ajkjk]

Of course, if they could read scores, they'd be more capable (and more employable) pianists for it, all else being equal.