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Im learning piano for the same reason. Im not sure exactally how to help except to say your going to have to focus somehow. Im guessing thats why your grasping it rather slowly, because you get distracted. Your pretty much going to have to force yourself to sit down without any distractions and practice.

It's really a mind game trying to focus, I swear I get the same way in theory class. It's like excersizing for some people, you have to literally make yourself. You wont always get the better of your distractions, but if you give yourself maybe a simple 20 min a day of piano (or more if you can) with no distractions, and no playing something you already know allowed. Well, you may or may not be surprised.

I like to think of learning an instrument as a game, Everytime you learn a song or even scales your hitting a goal. Take it one song or scale at a time, start slow, and do not overwhelm yourself. There are times when I literally learn something one measure at a time. I find I tend to resist if I let myself get overwhelmed.

Good luck.

if ur having trouble, then you aren't focusing enough.
try to incorporate all the dynamics, and add expression of your own
watch the fingerin geven if you already know it, it'll help you keep focused
it watching fingering and dynamics and adding expression isny enough, find the harmony and try to accent it and accent the proper beats
like 4/4 accent all 1st and 3rd beats and so forth
if that isnt enough then lock yourself in a blank white room XP

I’m working on building one xD

JK
and try practicing 45 minutes a day but FOCUSED, i'm suppose to do 1 1/2 hrs in 2 seperate practices but i get away with 45 minutes everday.......

oh and just play random songs that you like as a break, if i play a song more then 5 times in a row, I’ll lose it and start screwing up
I usually just play something like moonlight sonata which takes 6 minutes of canon in d to clear my head…. Then go back to the piece I’m playing =P

hey i don't really post anything so i figured i would go around trying to help and i have the same proublem. i can never stay focesed. i usally just sit and tuff it out but i know that can be hard...sorry i can't give you more help i am only an intermediat player who can't read the notes on treble cleff but can on tunner (ashamed of myself) but whatev it's really cool your going to major in music!

What I normally do is listen to the music that I'm playing, or listen to a recording of it and I remember stuff from the past that remind of the of feeling of the song. I know that one of my favourite songs I played remided me of the first time I watched my favourite movie, because it was so passionate and flowed so well.

I also agree with Yuki no Ryu, it does help when to take a breather in between, so you can start fresh.

I also make up stories with the music, like fairytales or realistic situations.
yeah, I know it's really cheesy but that's how I concentrate my feelings into the song. I'm only an intermediate at piano too xD so my advice might not be one of an expert's sweatdrop but good luck!

It does help to know the composer better, but hey, it's your own interpretation! ;D

Set a goal for yourself. Listen to the recording a few times, then sit down at the piano and say, "Okay, I will be totally pro at this measure by the time I get up from this seat." Then practice the measure; yeah, I know, but it works for me all the time. When you think you got it, raise the tempo a bit. Then a bit more. Then try playing it off memory.

When I play, I'm usually like, "I will play these 4 measures off memory without no mistakes at least 2 times before I go eat dinner." My dinner's my motivation xD So yeah, push yourself, and when you're sick of it, go on the computer and then return to play a bit more.