Summer
2005, Vol. 16 #2
Then and now . . .
"If only I had known then what I know now" Sound familiar? When I was a child, I practiced a lot and loved every minute of it! However, looking back on my practice in those early days and even up through my college years, I can't help but think of all the things I know now that I wish I had known then.
Going a step further, what things have I learned about this critical activity that are easily teachable to my students? My annual summer assessment of their progress during the preceding year of study always includes an evaluation of their growth in terms of becoming more accomplished in the area of productive self-directed practice - the kind that promotes maximum achievement and success with a minimum amount of time and effort.
During my own practice sessions this past year, I have been jotting down some of my theories about practice as well as strategies that I use on a regular basis to help me learn new pieces, deal with technical issues, and prepare repertoire for musical performances. Below are a few of the things that turned up on my list.
Amy Rose Immerman
provides some photos of adult students from her studio. These
pictures communicate the supportive and motivational sense of
community that is being nurtured there.
Having a regular practice time: I've found that I am more apt to practice
if I schedule it for the same time each day - granted,
not easy, and not always possible, but if regular practicing
is a priority (as it should be for all of us who teach), it's
more possible than one might think.
Doing several short practice sessions versus one long one: I know I accomplish more when I go to the piano for two or three short sessions rather than one long one because this plan makes it easier to approach practice with fresh endurance and concentration - both essential for optimum achievement.
(Although I know that all of my students do not utilize the above two ideas, this does not negate their value. I certainly do discuss both issues in much detail with prospective students and their parents at the pre-enrollment interview, and in each beginning-of-the-year memo I send to continuing students and parents, I always remind them of the virtues of adopting these two plans for home practice.)
Analysis first: For me, after doodling around a bit with a piece I want to learn, my first bonafide practice step is always a thorough analysis of its structure. (How many parts does it have? How are they alike? How different? Structurally, of what elements are they made?) Analysis actually reveals what and how much there is to practice; it also provides obvious clues for which strategies would be most effective in order to learn the piece accurately in a reasonable amount of time; in addition, analysis points up major considerations relating to musical interpretation, and provides the foundation for secure memorization
(All students can certainly learn how to analyze a new piece. Ideally, this should happen at the first lesson with the very first piece, and then should be continued at every subsequent lesson whenever new repertoire is begun.)
Use of the pencil: I've found the pencil to be an indispensable partner in practice, its use saving much time, often preventing initial errors as well as pointing up recurring ones. During the "work-out" process with a new piece, I mark and label its sections (ABA, coda, etc.). I also mark in things such as sharps/flats, naturals, fingering, counting - whatever I think will help me learn that particular piece as quickly and thoroughly as possible. As the piece progresses, I also use the pencil (or sometimes a highlighter) to identify problem spots, to circle other items that must be observed such as fermatas, dynamic cues, instructions for ritards, etc
(Students will soon adopt the "pencil habit" in home practice if, at the lesson, they do the marking of significant things rather than the teacher doing it for them.)
Choosing a "thinking" tempo: I have learned that choosing the correct practice tempo always entails finding the tempo at which I can see, play, hear, and evaluate everything I do. I call this a "thinking" tempo and believe it is folly to expect that accuracy, technical security, and even the goals of musicality can ever be achieved when much of the practice is faster than the current "thinking" tempo.
(Students will begin to seek "thinking" tempos for their pieces at home if they are asked to select their own tempos at the lesson. Having done so, if problems occur, the student, with the aid of the metronome, can reduce the speed until arriving at the tempo at which he/she can successfully achieve whatever the goals might be--accuracy, technical security, musical interpretation, etc. This, then, becomes the current "thinking" tempo which the student can notate on the assignment sheet.)
Purposeful repetition: I have also learned that it is usually non-productive to ever repeat something without first defining the reason for repeating and then making a specific change in the practice procedure before doing so.
(As an example, let's suppose that in a student performance at the lesson, a hesitation and stumble occurs between measures 8 and 9. This being the case, why in the world would the student be allowed to go back to measure one and repeat the whole passage again?? Instead, an intelligent approach would be to first understand why the problem occurred. In this instance, let's say that getting from measure 8 to 9 entailed having to move the RH to a different place on the keyboard and that it was insecurity with this move that caused the hesitation/stumble. Then the student would first need to practice just this RH move until technical security was achieved. The next step would be to add the LH but play only the end of measure 8 and over the bar line into measure 9. When secure, the student might then backtrack a bit, playing measures 7, 8, and 9; finally, he/she would repeat the whole passage from measure one and continue on - but of course being sure to choose a "thinking" tempo for this repetition.
Certainly repetition is essential in practice - without it, no habits would ever be formed. However, it's purposeful repetition that makes practice productive. "Purposeful" means always having specific goals, and when problem-solving is an issue, it involves identifying the cause of the problem, knowing what to do to "fix" it, and then DOING IT! Multi mindless repetitions played at too fast a tempo are rarely the answer. Knowing how to utilize purposeful repetition in home practice is something all students can learn to do but only if they experience it and the success it produces on a regular basis at the lesson.)
Challenges first: I have found that beginning a practice session with the most challenging piece I'm working on, or with the most difficult spot(s) within a piece (rather than starting at its beginning) is usually more productive than postponing work on it until later in the practice session. Approaching challenges with a "fresh" mind and ears, and with abundant energy often works miracles! In addition, saving the less challenging pieces until later in the practice session is like treating oneself to a delectable dessert after completing the main course.
(Students can learn the wisdom of this approach very quickly if it is done frequently at the lesson; in addition, I often suggest in the lesson assignment that this procedure be done at home with various pieces, i.e., "Do not start at the beginning. Instead, begin with measures 17-32.")
Practicing in short segments: Granted, playing through a piece from beginning to end is, at certain stages, an important part of practice because it allows us to measure endurance and concentration as well as to evaluate the status quo - our overall security, memorization, and musical interpretation. However, when working on a piece, (and students must know the difference between working on and just playing through pieces), it is usually more productive to practice in short segments (say, 8-16 measures) rather than trying to plow through the whole piece, especially when utilizing a series of practice steps.
(Once again, if this approach is used frequently at the lesson and specified on the assignment sheet, students will be more apt to apply it in home practice as well.)
The fallacy of always starting at the beginning: Unless my practice goal is a "play-through," I make sure that I frequently start my practice of a "piece-in-progress" with its last section or middle section as often as I start with the first one. This ensures that endings and middles will always be just as secure and convincing as beginnings.
(This is another procedure which, if utilized at the lesson and specified on the assignment sheet, will soon become part of a student's regular "bag of tricks" to use in home practice.)
Now back to this summer's evaluation of my students' progress . . .I will certainly use the above points as criteria for my evaluation of their practice habits. Where are they now in this area, and where do they need to go as we continue on in the coming year of study?
Without a doubt, I believe that the above concepts can be understood and applied by all students, regardless of their age, level of advancement, or innate musical and pianistic ability. However, how soon and how consistently these concepts are acquired and implemented in home practice depends a great deal on what happens at the lesson. Creating lesson situations in which students can repeatedly experience success as a result of intelligent practice procedures is of course, my responsibility. In the last analysis, one of the important things I've learned over the years is that it is indeed possible for my students to learn now a great deal of what I wish I had known then!
About Our Cover Art
"Contest Time" taken in 1955 by Madison Sale for the Toronto Telegram. Used by permission from the Music Educators National Conference Historical Center in College Park, Maryland
To see a larger image of our cover art, please visit our Art Gallery.
MULTIMEDIA ARTICLE
Adult Piano Study Department
 Amy Rose Immerman provides
some photos of adult students from her studio. These pictures communicate
the supportive and motivational sense of community that is being
nurtured there. They supplement the article from Michelle Conda's
department that explores, "Do you cross the line between
professional and personal when teaching your adult students?" |
Also be sure to check out our page of
links to ALL of our multimedia articles in past
issues.
Table of Contents from
Summer 2005, Volume 16, Number 2
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The Magic Triangle: |
What role does parental involvement with their child's piano study play in the junior high and high school years? |
Nicole Martens |
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The Other Teacher: |
What technical warm-ups do your early level students practice? |
Kathy Christian |
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Independence Day: |
How do you develop the ability to sight-read hands together? |
Elaine Rusk |
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Let's Get Physical: |
How do you help students learn to control their thumbs? |
Theresa Bogard |
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The Heart of the Matter: |
What aspects of teaching rhythm are the most difficult for your intern teachers? |
Cynthia Benson |
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Issues and Ideas: |
How has keyboard pedagogy changed over the last 20-30 years? Part I |
Frances Larimer |
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It's Never Too Late: |
Do you cross the line between professional and personal when teaching your adult students? |
Matt Harre |
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Putting It All Together: |
How do you introduce pieces with more than two flats or sharps, and what favorite repertoire do you use in more difficult keys? |
Donald Morelock |
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Tomorrow Today: |
How do you use technology to facilitate cooperative learning? |
Linda Christensen |
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The World Around
Us: |
What can traditional piano teachers learn from "special method" programs? |
Kathy Anzis |
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Keyboard
Kids' Companion |
Puzzles, Practice Projects, Meet the Composers, and more! |
Helen Smith Tarchalski |
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