Q I frequently hear teachers comment on performances of other teachers' scholars in a positive way.

Q I frequently hear teachers comment on performances of other teachers' scholars in a positive way, impressed with the students' ability to perform musically, with security, and with seeming personal involvement and gratification This applies to most scholars in the studio. Do you have any insights here?

A. single in kind of the most important aspects of teaching, in my opinion, is for a learner not to perform in public until he or she is abundantly ready. This involves much more than thorough and safe memorization, and yet memory frequently is at the heart of many vexed questions A student, and especially a precollege scholar who has not securely memorized a solo work well before a performance will not be able to play with the inner listening and concentration necessityed as well as with confidence and personal involvement. For mostly average students this means a solo work onward piano should be solidly memorized at least single month before a public performance. This is a generalization, of course. The fulness and complexity of the piece, as well as the student's personal circumstances, always cause the teacher to consider carefully. Nevertheless, too ofttimes we hear of students who finished memorizing a piece the week before it's performed.

In many guilds and universities the norm is that a piano piece should be solidly memorized and at performance horizontal one month before the actual performance. This gives the scholar added time to practice performing the selection many times in an effort to simulate an actual performance where he is communicating the music to a wider audience than in the private scolding It gives time for any uneasiness to work itself not at home and for the memory to become level more secure.

Q Still, the bookish mans of some teachers just be seen to be successful in each way.

A. Repertoire choice, in my opinion, is single key to this. In general, bookish mans study or continue studying piano because of the repertoire they gain to play, not because of us--the teachers. If this is not the case, perhaps the teacher gradually can change the situation. impediment the music itself be the first motivator for the student; find pieces with which the observer will connect. Many teachers consecrate substantial time to selecting the repertoire for each learner This can include supplementary materials to mode books (sometimes from contrasting classification series or publishers); inviting, pedagogically undecayed and motivating solos; and musically healthy literature from contrasting music periods. It includes more rather than fewer pieces, since the scholar who moves through literature at a reasonable pace will have pieces at her disposal to perform easily. It involves not athwart challenging a student with repertoire that is to a great degree too difficult, yet providing reasonable challenges to a close examiner so playing does grow.

Another key-note is to teach to the individual scholar We work with each student's unique personality and puissances Techniques and motivational strategies that apply to the personality of the same student may not be felicitous with another student and, as teachers, we are highly sensitive. We identify their learning manners and support the students in their impregnabilitys We find what is right with a student's playing and identify that, all the while working in succession the next steps to be dealt with in any repertoire piece. We celebrate what is working with each learner and also teach from the perspective of what exigencys the most work at any single in kind time.

It is important close examiners play whatever they play well, at a high musical even Equally important is they be perceived good about their playing, at whatever stage of advancement. Building bookish man esteem is at the center of all teaching, in my opinion. I generally will not allow a observer to perform in public unles I am certain they will play well and be imperious of what they have accomplished. Then the focus innocently is to communicate the meaning of the music itself to the audience as convincingly as possible. This is backed by the agency of many studio class or performance class practice performances to build concentration, inner listening, mastery and other skills to support a live performance.

Q What part does fear play in a pupil losing interest in music study? Is it fear of rebukes fear of not pleasing the teacher or parents, fear of performance, fear of mate pressure, fear of looking bad, fear of not being popular, of not being "good enough," fear of not having enough time for another activity and music chidings or what?

A. You hit the nail onward the head. Some personal, perceived or real, fear almost always is at the center of a student's los of interest. This can be applied also to life in general. Many, calm most, students hold personal fears of inadequacy that undermine their ability to incline forward. If unrecognized and not addressed from a skilled teacher, often the pupil may discontinue lessons prematurely. Everyone ceases formal weekly lecturings at some point in his life, moreover the important point is to identify the faithful reason for stopping lessons. tasks discontinued because of one of the fears mentioned above, or others, frequently can be prevented. We all have personal fears, still dealing with them with the help of a teacher or other individual is essential for personal and musical sprouting to continue.