Teaching philosophy

Regardless of your choice of instrument, there are common theoretical ideas that must be experienced/learned/earned to become proficient. Each instrument is tied to the others through tried and proven musical theories. If you are truly inspired to learn any instrument, your physical attributes will develop naturally. What makes you play more proficiently? The requisite of your improvement is through that of trial and error (I think that this is called practice or repetition) and the addition of new musical information. It is my belief that one learns equally from his/her mistakes as from one's successes. So, if you are ready to challenge your intellect by learning an instrument, be ready for some grand wins and possibly some devastating failures. Both will certainly take you to a better place!

Like the face on my light bulb which looks like he is experiencing a great deal of pain, great passions usually take a lot of painful attention to detail. However, that does not mean that one shouldn't be pleased or "happy" with this painful matter of attention to detail. Nothing that I know of feels better after an intense bout of struggle than to come away with a win to which one has been a major (or even a minor) contributor. When any of my student's learning curve is tough, I make light of their plight by reminding them that "if it was easy, I'd have students lined up to the stop sign" that is visible from my studio. (About 400 meters from my home). I often relate my own story of a man complimenting me on my performance. He said that he had a great time because I made it look so easy. I had to chuckle as he had not a clue as to the amount of preparation that was necessary to bring my one hour show to him. I love listening to the Dennis Praeger Show. Not long ago, on his "Happiness Hour" he made the statement: 'Everything has a price.' Nothing could be more true in life. How many times (at what cost) does it take to do something correctly?......As many times as it takes: Music, like the road that you travel, only becomes familiar when you journey there often.

Our music teachers in our school systems do a fantastic job. Unfortunately, they are many times teaching with a ratio of 50+:1 and with very limited time: Two half hour sessions per week in most of the elementary schools.....and this includes set-up and tear-down. During my public school teaching, it became quite clear that my best students were a product of private teachers that was on loan to me. My private teaching service fills in this very large gap that the public schools cannot fill. Because my private lessons are one on one, there is opportunity to expose the student to some of the finer points of musical study.....a major difference! Additionally, there are some instruments that are not addressed by the school system and can only be studied privately.

I am thankful each and every day that my parents, who, by the way were not well to do, made it a point and a priority that I should have music lessons. The skills gained through the study of music are and have been of of un calculative value through out my life. Check out my NEWS page for some articles on music and its benefits.

 

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