Should students take Carnatic/Hindustani before coming for Piano?

I have observed time and again, that whenever I have had students who have studied Indian Classical Music for a few years - we it Hindustani or Carnatic, prior to taking Piano Lessons, they have always done exceedingly well in the Piano.

The only aspects that I end up having to teach them would be:

(i) The specific Repertoire of Western Pieces

(ii) Help them with the 'Reading' aspect of the music (which often they make connections easily)

(iii) Familiarize them to Harmony

(iv) Help them develop their Playing Technique

The most interesting thing is that these students do very well in the Music Exam Systems also (exceptions being when they are working adults and they don't have time for practice).

Here are a few examples of students (I have withheld their Names to protect identity)

Student A : Studied Carnatic Vocals for entire Academic Schooling life, started taking Piano Lessons at age 18, and by age 22, she completed her Grade 8

Student B : Started studying Hindustani from age 5 or so. Started Piano Lessons at Age 13, and by age 17, she also completed her Grade 8

Student C : Took Carnatic Violin Lessons as a child for 5 years or so. He started to play drums in between. Also explored playing Keyboard and Guitar by himself. He started formally taking Piano lessons as an adult (age 25), and in 3 years completed Grade 8 and is now working on his Diploma Repertoire

Student D : Took Carnatic Vocals Lessons as a child since 5 years or so. Started Teaching him Keyboard by watching Youtube videos.He Started to take Piano lessons as an adult (age 22), and in 4 years, he is now working on his Diploma Repertoire

I can add many more such examples.

But the point I am trying to make is that, such students are not the so called geniuses or prodigies per say. But they just 'get' the music easily, even if the language they studied in was different. They can 'hear' and 'understand' whats going on in the music seemingly intuitively.

Infact these students 'get' the music way better than a student who has learnt only the Piano exclusively for over 10 years.

I attribute it to the following aspects of the Indian Classical Traditions

A - Lots and lots of training the Primary Instrument - the voice .. So they are already thinking 'musicians' and they only need to apply what they already know on to the piano

B - Singing the various Ragas over and over again that makes them super aware of the microtones.. The Western Tradition is mostly Major and minor.. ofcourse, now a lot of modern and ethnic music being played on Piano, so these students easily handle it

C - They always Practice singing with a Drone, which establishes the Home Key very strongly in their mind.. They just love it when the music 'modulates' in Western Music, it tickles them

D - They practice singing by initially Imitating Phrases (Vocally, and then on their instrument) .. over a period of time they are able to retain long phrases.. Very useful when it comes to the works of Romantic composers

E - IMPROVISATION - This allows them to keep doodling and exploring on the piano which adds deepening their piano experience

F - The Rhythm Cycles they are used to is far more Complex than the ones used in Western Music.. Relatively speaking, Western Music Rhythms are easier

G - It is an added advantage if they've learnt Konakkol or Tabla-Bol.. When they come for Piano, they translate the Rhythmic structures very easily

H - Connected to point A, since these students first Sing everything, when they come to the Piano, they comfortably produce a singing sound with very little instruction

I - They are used to singing Ornaments.. Translates easily to Western Music

The point I am making is that, I strongly believe students should make use of the heritage and tradition of music that is that is available here in India before they take Piano Lessons, it will only augment and deepen their learning experience.

Infact, experience has shown that they go faster and far ahead of students who start with ONLY Piano Instruction at Age 5. More so, they make 'music' when they play the piano and become life long players, as compared to the Exam-route students.