Many students learn to play the piano but some lack the motivation to continue learning. Many students learn for extrinsic reasons. This research will explore understandings about student motivation held by expert piano teachers who have developed strategies to improve their students' intrinsic motivation to begin and continue learning. This small scale phenomenological case study examined three expert and experienced piano teachers' understandings of student engagement and motivation. The analysis generated a number of themes in relation to students' motivation in piano learning. The findings of this current study could offer a range of ideas and reflections to assist instrumental teachers build their students' intrinsic motivation in learning and foster lifelong music making.