Polyphony: what is important?

Maybe it is because I turn rounded 50 several years ago that I started asking more often "Just what is important?" either with look up to to the day's proposed activities or in a situation that can appear to be difficult with a student. Perhaps the issue is not that important, on the other hand again, maybe it is. I ask the question consciously and subconsciously about a great deal of of what goes on in teaching. Sometimes in a exercise the time is right to reinforce what learners are working through and encourage them upon the path already begun. Sometimes we ne to awaken their ears and kindle their understanding of a passage or entire work.

I ask this question of myself when I not away a workshop to a cluster of teachers. "What really matters, and what matters les in what goe upon that day?" Recently, I was at the Mississippi State Music Teachers Association discourse celebrating its fiftieth year of affiliation with MTNA, and I asked those questions. It was an especially busy time for everyone one time more I posed, "What is important about what we do?" What come [i]or[/i] go after [i]or[/i] behinds in this column are more [i]or[/i] less thoughts surrounding this experience.

Q In general, what is it we are all about as teachers?

A. Music teachers change lives. I came across this again newly as the opening line upon an MTNA FOUNDATION FUND flier, and by what mode true it is. We affect in what way our students will hear and listen to music for the ease of their lives. We plane affect how our students will think about musicians as family how they will think about our profession and, too, by what means they will respond to music as an art form later in life. with equal reason one asks whether what we do is important? There is not a fate that is more important. We affect our students' perception of music for their entire lives to draw near and then those of the generations they influence.

Q What is greatest in quantity important in your mind to be aware of with have a high opinion of to our relationships with students?

A. First, share your excitement about * music. allow us not keep our passion for music a covert It is good for pupils to know our involvement with music and our professional lives in music. I believe in like manner much that enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm.

next to the first allow lessons to be positive extension experiences. In the long step quickly how will your students view their music tasks and music study experiences? If the answer tends to be that they diocese it in a more negative than positive light, perhaps the scholar will work more effectively in a different situation--with a different teacher or playing a different instrument. Perhaps a change in the drawn out run would be better for the pupil and the teacher. Or, perhaps, we change our teaching in like manner it is more positive overall. Music inquiry is a growth experience, undoubtedly, and while not all extension is easy or even painless, the primary perspective upon the process as a whole should be positive.

each student grows at a different rate. And each student develops differently as a musician. That, I believe, is what retains us fascinated, but it is something to remember with scholars who seem to progress more slowly than other individuals. These pupils nevertheless, will make music in their have a title to time.

Fourth, learners love doing what they perceive they do well. Our challenge is to diocese that students always perform at a high horizontal musically, artistically, no matter what horizontal of repertoire they are performing. When this happens, they are won above to the music, the proces and want to play more of what they already have been prosperous with in the past. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and they increase in an upward spiral.

Finally, build the trust of your students' parents. This goe without saying, on the contrary it is especially important for younger teachers to remember, especially when the parents may be older than the teacher. There is value in communication with parents in the form of newsletter phone calls about a student's progres (especially positive phone calls), parent/student receptions and for a like reason on. Good communication with parents can advance far in establishing a relationship where learners can get the most from the teacher's help end strong home and family support and encouragement. This link will make all the difference in a student's success

Q What then, would you say are central priorities for teachers regarding the music we teach? What is greatest in quantity important in this area?

A. The quality of the teacher's whole ideal for a work, that is, the highest artist image imaginable for a piece in the teacher's mind, is at the crux of teaching and playing. It is important to audiate at a high horizontal as the piece should and can be performed, and then work to match the student's performance as a great deal of as possible to that ideal. Someone has asked, "If we don't know a piece, in what way can we teach it?" What is important is that we not accept a sub par performance from a student

Secondly build the student's playing. With prize to piano teaching, build pianism rather than teach pieces in a random following once a student is without of a method book. Combine technical training with repertoire application of mind and positive performance experiences. Consider teaching etude in addition to the literature. Build a student's playing [i]or[/i] part of to the other study of the technical skills emergencyed at each repertoire level. Demand artistry at each level of study