WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

Beverly Thompson Shea

On November 19 Joan Behrens-Bergman addressed the “Art of Practicing.” She emphasized that success in getting a student to practice depends upon an overlapping interdependence of student, parent and teacher. Home environment, productive practice and teacher-led lesson strategies contribute to the student’s progress. A parent should take the same “no room for argument” attitude about music education as for going to school. When the student practices is the option, not whether he or she practices. One may practice in segments of 20 minutes or so, rather than in lengthy stretches. Parents need to show appreciation of a child’s effort and give praise for a job well done. Parents should listen to music in the home and take the child to classical music concerts. Pianos need to be in a quiet part of the house. Avoid family plans that disrupt the practice routine, as continuity is everything!

To encourage productive practice, the teacher can add rehearsal letters to the music so a student can restart at certain points; practice at half tempo; practice without pedal; play one hand or part and sing the other; study the score away from the instrument; when playing hands separately, play in rhythm (include rests).

Teachers should discuss material to be practiced and how to practice it. Encourage exploration of the rhythm, theory, structure, titles and moods. Help cure a problem, then slowly reinsert by playing from two bars before until two bars after. Vary the order of pieces in a lesson. Let a student start with the piece he loves or do scales last.

Beverly Thompson Shea, Hostess