Collegiate Writing Contest

 

In the Spring of 2008, Keyboard Companion sponsored its first annual Collegiate Writing Contest. College students at any level from any country in the world were invited to submit 1,500 word essays on a pedagogical topic of their choice, and grand prize was publication of the winning essay in Keyboard Companion. The esteemed panel of judges was comprised of Louise Goss, Elvina Truman Pearce, and Marienne Uszler. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sarah Evans, author of the winning essay printed in the January/February issue of Clavier Companion. We also want to congratulate two runner-up essays: The Risk Worth Taking by Kerri Beebe and Everything I Needed to Learn, I Learned in Piano Lessons by Mae Morton. Everything I needed to learn, I learned in piano lessons appears below.

The collegiate students of today are the teachers, professionals, and leaders of tomorrow, and we want to give them an opportunity to share their ideas. Clavier Companion will continue to sponsor this contest, and we encourage college students everywhere to enter the 2009 contest. The entry deadline for this year’s contest will be June 1 st, 2009.

2009 Collegiate Writing Contest Rules and Regulations

Everything I needed to learn, I learned in piano lessons

by Mae Morton

Piano lessons offer a child numerous gifts. Not only is playing the piano among them, but also the value of discipline, a relationship with a caring adult, and the joy of experiencing an art greater than oneself. Also, the student is connected to the world of music and learns to create his or her own art. In my opinion, everything one needs to learn can be learned in piano lessons.

As a young adult in my late twenties, I do not feel much older than the students I teach. However, I realize that I do not belong to their generation either. A gap of culture, time, and technology exist between them and me. I was born and raised in Singapore–a nation dominated by Chinese culture and values. I moved to the United States when, at eighteen, I was offered a scholarship to study music at the University of Central Arkansas. Although there is a difference between piano lessons today in the United States and those taken two decades ago in Singapore, the similarities outweigh the differences in terms of the rewards accumulated. To my way of thinking, there is something unique and precious about weekly piano lessons that cannot be found in most children’s activities today. Six of the advantages are as follows:

First and foremost, the student learns discipline.

In today’s fast-paced and technologically advanced society, by the time they are old enough to start lessons, young children have been entertained and seduced by our media and computer-dominated society. They then encounter the piano–an immovable wood object that has moveable rectangular black and white pieces attached to it. It does not flash images or make music on its own (traditionally). It does not project bright colors to capture attention. It neither rocks nor sways, moos nor neighs. What DOES it do?

It sits there and expects a daily visit. Instead of being entertained by this object, the student must give focused attention to learning its parts–that is, the black and white moving parts. Indeed, how much focused discipline this will require of an energetic seven year old or a hormonal fourteen year old! Unlike homework and projects that get done, taking piano lessons requires practicing that NEVER gets done! The monotony of practice can certainly dissuade one from continuing in lessons, but oh, for the student who perseveres, the invaluable qualities of discipline and commitment have hence been laid as a strong foundation.

Second, the student is afforded an opportunity to cultivate a relationship with a caring adult. Learning the piano entails a weekly appointment with an adult who is not a family member. But, unlike a coach, a school teacher, or a friend’s mother, a piano teacher has the uncommon opportunity to have weekly

private time with students. In today’s world, how often does a child receive the undivided attention of an interested adult? Few activities create the opportunity for such a relationship. We as piano teachers have a precious chance of reaching into young people’s lives. We have been entrusted with the mission of instilling the love of music. From a tender age, the student learns to relate to an adult who has expressed hope and belief in them. The student learns to be accountable to an adult who will hold them to their assignments and commitments. The student therefore learns responsibility.

Third, the student learns the important art of listening.

How many times have we heard students plunk on the piano keys as if they were buttons to push on a video game? The student is corrected swiftly as the teacher says, “The piano is not a computer; it is a musical instrument!”

Beginning from the primer books, the piano student is introduced to sound, volume, expression, and dynamics. Instead of simply having to provide the acceptable answer, shade the correct bubble, or push the appropriate button, the student is expected to listen intently to what and how they are playing. They are urged to enter into a world of acoustics, a realm of the aural, where listening reigns supreme. Who can imagine the impact on a world where all were trained to listen in such a manner?

Fourth, there is the creation of beauty and lasting value in the playing of the piano. It even supports and contributes to today’s growing green movement! Most human activities leave our carbon imprint on our world. We either use electricity, natural resources, or create pollutants. Unlike computer games, movies, roller coasters and battery operated game devices, playing the piano generates absolutely no destruction. Conversely, it produces joy, peace, entertainment and a sense of accomplishment.

Fifth, studying the piano as an instrument connects the student to an art form that has existed since the beginning of time. Music has been found from the early books of the Bible to primitive tribes and races all over the world. Students can transcend tangible time and space to connect with another period and style. The stories we tell about J.S Bach and his twenty children, Beethoven and his deafness, and present day composers like Rollin and Karp, give the student the exhilarating opportunity to bond with musicians in our own time and in our history. There is a semblance between ornate Baroque architecture and the musical ornaments of Bach. Monet’s iridescent use of color is likened to Debussy’s splendid shades of tones. Students are taken beyond the world of music and sound to a world of history and art.

Leaving the best for last, the beauty of playing the piano, creates the incredible gift of music. It is inarguable that many have experienced the spiritual, emotional and divine effect of music in their lives. One is moved to tears, another feels a calmness that transcends the noise of the surroundings; still others sense God as they hear the combination of notes and rhythms that craft music. Whatever it is, music carries in itself, a beauty that goes beyond this world. It draws us to something greater than and outside ourselves. It connects us with the divine as well as the entire human race.

In conclusion, we maintain that piano lessons have indeed inspired millions of students and teachers alike. It instills values and disciplines that are necessary for today and essential for the children of tomorrow’s fast-paced society. With this in mind, we must certainly agree to work hard to ensure that this art form continues and flourishes for generations to come.

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