Repertoire
Marvin Blickenstaff, Editor
There is something in all of us that relishes a new beginning, a second chance, a fresh start. I think it comes from that "hope springs eternal" thing. We feel confident that we can do a better job the second (or third, or fourth) time around.
Breaks from routine are refreshing. Office managers know that, factory foremen practice it, and our academic schedules reflect the principle. Piano teachers give themselves and their students some summer break from the regularity of weekly lessons. And during that break, hope springs eternal for an even more successful year ahead. We plan enticing repertoire, technical goals that might be stimulated by charts on our studio walls or games and challenges, and strategize the contests and festivals that might generate practice and provide documentation of a student's success.
Some of my own resolutions for the new teaching season
I'm one of those "hope" guys. Each fall I resolve to be a better teacher for my students, young and old, and each fall I make lists of changes I will employ to stimulate my students' musical growth. "More duets," "regular sight-reading in the lesson," "new technique books," "practice charts," "taping the repertoire," "more keyboard theory," etc.
But, you know what? It all boils down to the repertoire we assign and how we teach it. Selecting repertoire for our students is a very serious consideration, for those pieces represent "piano lessons" to the student. To play "cool" pieces is the student's goal. Playing pieces with involvement, expression, and understanding is my goal for the student. Part of my responsibility is to select pieces which the student can play wonderfully well. Another part of my job is to impart the spirit of the piece and to raise the student's understanding and interpretation to its highest level. The higher my standards are, the more the student accomplishes. Students know when a high standard has been reached, and their sense of accomplishment is tangible.
We all know that
it takes more than a CD at the back of a book to insure a successful
experience with a piece. (I am an advocate of students' listening
to performances of their pieces, and those CDs can be very helpful
models.) Preparation for each piece is vital to a successful study
experience. So we work on reading skills, on technical exercises,
and theory. But if "hope springs eternal" for me this
fall, it is that I will select repertoire more carefully and appropriately
for each of my students, and that I will guide each piece sensitively
and carefully to a meaningful musical experience for the student.
from Barbara Wing's article
Creating a "vibrant" beginning to the fall season
It started out to be a beautiful day. It was one of those cool, crisp fall mornings, so welcome after the heat of the summer. Having had a good break from piano teaching during vacation, you were eagerly awaiting the return of the students on this lovely afternoon.
Unfortunately, things did not turn out so well. Susie came in ten minutes late, with no books at all. Her attitude seemed less than eager, and her musical memory seemed to have vanished with the summer heat. She was unsure of her scales, faulty in her counting, forgetful of the names of the notes. How, you wonder, are you to spark her interest in another year of piano lessons?
A special fall assignment that ensures success
First fall lessons need not be like the one described above. With one simple summer assignment, we have created in my studio a vibrant beginning to the fall season. All students are given in June the same assignment for the first lesson in September: an old piece from last year and a new one which they learn by themselves over the summer. These pieces are performed in our first repertoire class of the year. . .
Barbara Wing is a member of the piano faculty of the Levine School of Music in Washington D.C., having formerly served as Director of Education and founder and chair of the Professional Studies Program, a continuing education program for independent piano teachers. A graduate of Wellesley College and the University of Maryland, she is active as a lecture-recitalist, duo-piano performer, chamber musician and author of educational materials for young pianists.
from Sherilyn Ortman's article
My fall mission: To help every student achieve extraordinary results as often as possible.
My immediate answer to the question of how I start a new teaching year is "with a solemn vow to do everything right." I find myself desperately wanting to believe that this year will be different, that somehow I'll become the teacher with limitless patience, with an incredible ability to motivate, and with uncanny know-how. Reality usually strikes about twenty minutes into my first lesson.
In August of 2001, I, like many of you, attended the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in Oak Brook, Illinois. I returned home feeling affirmed, inspired, and determined as an independent instructor. The theme of that conference has stuck with me ever since reading it on the first brochure: "Extraordinary results with every student through exceptional teaching." At first I was cynical-the conference planners had obviously not encountered certain students of mine.
As I pondered this theme, however, the word "results"
jumped out at me. In any given week, the results of my students'
practice range widely. Some of those practice results hardly qualify
as "extraordinary"-at least not in the positive sense.
However, I had assumed the conference theme implied, "Extraordinary
results every week with every student through consistently exceptional
teaching." Thankfully, no such specifications were made.
I can testify that at least occasional extraordinary results are
possible with even the most challenged students. My mission at
the start of each teaching year is to help students achieve extraordinary
results whenever possible. . .
Sherilyn Ortman earned her BA in Music from Bethel College in North Newton, KS. Upon her graduation, she taught at Bethel's Academy of Music before moving to Marion, SD with her husband, William. She currently operates an independent studio of 36 students and is active as an accompanist and church musician.
from Vivian Dula's article
My goal: to make music study exciting for all of my students!
What a pleasure it is to welcome my piano students returning from summer vacation! The studio has been cleaned, pianos have been tuned, new music has been purchased, and I eagerly await each student's arrival. Some of them are enthusiastic about returning to piano lessons and some have reservations about the new year. It is my job to make the study of music exciting for all of them.
End-of-the-year evaluations help prepare for successful fall beginnings
In May when the piano and school year end, I have all students fill out an evaluation card of the year's piano study. They answer questions about their accomplishments:
I write my own evaluation of each student's progress and list repertoire the student should cover in the coming year. In late summer, I review both evaluations. Then, at the student's first lesson, we set goals for the year:
Vivian Miller Dula is on the faculty at Elon University
where she teaches private and class piano and is director of the
Preparatory Program. She has served as president of North Carolina
Music Teachers Association. She holds both National and State
MTNA Certification in piano.
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