Piano teaching in Dundas Ontario
Communication, professional up-dates, and tips to improve your piano playing
July 26th 2010
Children Today
I remember a time before computer games, cell phones, instant messaging, IPads, iPhones, Internet surfing, Youtube.com, inflated school grades, unlimited free downloadable musical files, and instant communications.
Instead, we had: wall-to-wall television, radio, telephones nailed to the wall, bootleg cassettes, top 40 charts, hippies with guitars.
Okay, we still have hippies with guitars, except we now call them singer songwriters. Same chords, same banal sincerity.
And, old folks still worry about young folks.
Teaching young folk when you are an old folk has always presented a few challenges. But, the basics remain. Teaching, inspiring, and succeeding with still children requires:
Confidence
Competence
Enthusiasm
Experience
Knowledge
Trust
Faith
Cheers,
David Story
Upcoming: more book reports on teaching |
June 20th 2010
Music Examinng in BC 2010
The Music Exam Experience
I've just finished a week on the road, travelling in southern British Columbia hearing many piano and voice candidates.
A few observations
For the well prepared and enthusiastic student it is an awesome experience. In a world of faked experience it is a truly real.
I've learned five year olds can successfully and joyfully complete a grade one exam.
As always, Adult candidates are the most emotionally intense musicians, bringing the day's emotional baggage into the exam room. But it is to their credit they persevere and succeed in spite of it.
Teachers are usually more nervous and anxious than their students
Pity the poor teenager. The desire is there, the talent is there, but often the skills are underdeveloped. Why? Speaking with their teachers the usual list of reasons comes up: over commitments. They are expected to get good school grades, have a part time job, social life (mostly on-line, the average teen in my studio is on line upward of 40 hours per week!), volunteer work (now required in many school districts) etc.
Cheers from Kamloops
David |
May 20th 2010
Picking a University
It is that time of year: Picking a university
From a recent email
A family I teach in Hamilton have a son who graduated from MAC recently. He just finished his MBA at Columbia in NYC. Paul, another student is about to graduate with his PHD from University of Chicago, he went to MAC. MAC is now in the top 100 schools in the world.
The Ottawa school has a co-op, which I'm told is an advantage.
At MAC costs are potentially lower: i.e. Housing. Large student loans really cramp a young person's start in life. This comes from other former students.
Roger, another student went to York, for music, he is working on his PHD in music/brain research in England.
Jim, Western University, is going to UofT for a doctorate in music.
The conclusion: It's the student's ambition and well focused plans which make the biggest difference, with the student debt factor being a significant determinant in post grad studies. This advice comes from other students and family members who have piled up debt and are now saddled with a school debt mortgage.
I hope this helps.
(I've changed the first names of all the students) |
May 10th 2010
Adjudicating in Caledonia and Windsor Ontario May 2010
What interesting experiences.
-Lots of young excited musician giving their best
-Proud parents
-Nervous Teachers
-Well prepared, experienced, and knowledgeable staff
-New Adjudicator: Me
My hat is off to all the children for their preparations, inspiring performances and displays of courage. It takes a lot to present oneself in such a venue.
Thank you to Tom and Erla for inviting me.
David |
March 16th 2010
College and University Preparation: Five questions I consider before giving my approval.
Five questions I consider before giving my approval. 1. Are they artists or musicians?
- An artist creates, a musician plays what's put in front of them. Two completely different skill sets. (An artist knows they are one, musicians always ponder this question.)
2. Preconditions of success
- They have the rage to master as outlined in the book Talent is Overrated
- They have faith in themselves which is grounded in reality
- They have access to resources; musical training is expensive
3. What's the endgame?
- Lady GaGa adoration
- Schoolteacher
- Industry professional
- Medical school
- Or a drugs, sex, rock 'n roll fantasy?
4. Are they prepared?
- They have a history of focused accomplishment
- Entrepreneurial talent
- Adult maturity is becoming evident
5. Charisma: how big is their talent?
- Dave's definition of talent? Can you hold the attention of a room full of strangers for 90 minutes? 89 minutes won't cut it.
----------------------------------------- A final thought: Part of the toughness, determination, and vision required to succeed, precludes the need for approval. Cheers,
David Story |
February 8th 2010
Linchpin, Are you indispensable? By Seth Godin, Book Report
Artist: Someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo. Not all artists can draw, but all artists can see. And, an artist takes it personally.
Art is a personal gift that changes the recipient. The medium doesn't matter. The intent does.
(Possibly a brilliant book. Or maybe just a new spin on Tom Peters.)
It is interesting to note how the corporate world is being challenged to adopt the artisans' philosophy: do something remarkable that matters to someone. Work with your skills to touch people emotionally, change them, challenge them, and thrill them.
The book challenges people to think outside the box. Personally I think this is impossible. You are either creative or not, courageous or not. I can't imagine the people he is challenging to be different could ever take the leap. A charming read non-the-less.
Any thoughts?
BTW, Seth Godin has a great Blog at http://sethgodin.com/sg/
Cheers,
David |
January 24th 2010
Assessing talent
It came up again this week, the talent question.
We have all heard it from time to time, “does my kid have talent?” or its variation, “Do I have talent?
Do you mean, I respond, “Can you/they win American Idol, become a pop culture commodity and benefit financially from excessive adulation, and live the life of rich and famous?” Probably not.
Or do you mean, “Do you/they have the ambition, desire, patience, focus, clarity of purpose, time, money, access to resources, and family support to realize your/their potential?” I don't know.
Or, do I respond, “After you/they have put in 10,000 hours of focused practice lets revisit the question.”
Or, do I respond, “How big is your/their desire?”
Others have stated: “talent is ability“, let's keep practicing!
Cheers,
David Story |
January 13th 2010
Creativity
Some ideas I've collected over the years:
- Don't be afraid to fail
- Work, work, work
- We are all a product of our influences, so choose well
- Work long enough to get some results
- Hang with creative people
- Turn off Facebook, Twitter, MSN, etc. Use the time to work
- Attend events (concerts, galleries, lectures, workshops, etc.) outside of your range of interests. Let some fresh air in.
Cheers,
David Story |
January 5th 2010
The Youtube music student
A recent phenomenon that we should be cognizant of is YouTube.com. This free video service is quickly revolutionizing music teaching. It is already created an enormously motivated pool of potential new students. A new class of students, which has been flying under the radar for years and a group poorly served by the professional teaching profession I say.
Here's a typical profile from my studio:
-10 to 12 years old, oldest is 23
-Male
-An enthusiastic user of the computer, computer games, and the internet
-Loves music, and pop culture
-As an impatient character
-Possess high energy
-Self-motivated
-Have definite musical tastes
-The predominant learning style is visual and auditory. In other words, they don't like to read music.
-They are unresponsive to traditional teaching methods, aims, and processes.
-They fit the classic definition of amateur: for the love of music.
The big question, of course is how do we serve this group?
There are few strategies I've successfully used:
-I review the instructional video on YouTube with the student. I help correct their technical approach to the piece, typically we redo the fingering.
-I take their musical interests seriously.
-I help them explore other music related to their interests.
-To help their reading, I often write out a phrase of the piece for them to learn.
-I teach them how to assemble the music on the computer using sequencing software.
-I encourage them to think about joining a band or jamming with their friends.
Here are a few outcomes
-Because they play primarily by ear, love to practice and are highly motivated they typically play with the best groove and feel of all my students.
-Because I take their musical interests seriously, none of them have quit.
-I learned some exciting new music from enthusiastic self-motivated students.
Cheers,
David Story |
December 22nd 2009
Teaching Listening Skills
I have collection of old piano pedagogy books, one dating around 1900. A common thread throughout these books is the observation that many students can't hear themselves, or others. Let alone evaluate and judge it.
It is my contention that a student can't play what they can't hear. A teacher can't teach what they can't hear either. So, I've collected up a series of ideas from various sources which I use in class.
- We have a listening practice. I play a recording, or demonstrate yourself. Afterwards I ask the student questions on tempi, dynamics, articulations, etc. We compare different recordings of the same piece, can we to hear the difference. The depth of inquiry depends on the development of the student.
- I give out the list of genres and invite the older students to youtube the list. A wonderful discovery.
- I give a mock student demonstration and ask the student to critique the performance. This is particularly fun for younger students.
- We record and playback a student performance in the studio.
- I teach them to play with a metronome. Start easy, on scales: one note per click.
- I teach them some of the lessons outlined in the book, "The Music Lesson"
by Victor L. Wooten. A priceless gem.
We improvise together using two pianos
I teach them to pick out tunes by ear. Jingle Bells is a good start.
From time to time I organise a jazz, new music, Renaissance music field trip. Meet the musicians afterwards.
For some, I introduce the younger students to composition through Frances Balodis Young Composer books.
Teach ear training from the get-go: intervals, chords, dynamics, articulations, etc. I use methods books which stress this.
Cheers,
David |
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