The concert is a real great achievement that alot of the students have been talking about. For the first timers its seemed to come across as a real “feel good” experience as most of them admitedly say that they’re glad they went through with it. For others, they acomplish and overcome something that in the past has affected their performance. As I speak to each individual I find a common pattern  of  “stage fright”. Many of them are pleased regardless with their performance and this is also facilitated with the praise from their families.

Lots of their family members can see they have been working hard towards this and it is evident that they have achived their goal as a musician. One example is seen through a parent knowing all her son’s pieces due to him practising often at home.

Despite the nerves, it’s great to come back and see that all their hardwork has paid off, that not only their family but themselves are proud of what they have acomplished for the year and finally to have no regrets about the concert knowing that in the end they gave it their best shot.

Why do students want to learn music, and what motivates them to continue learning?

Talking to one of our more eager students, who had come in 2 hours early, led to a discussion of this question. From my point of view, younger children tend to come in following their parents, who wish for their children to become learned in music. Of these children, I think that there are only a handful who learn to enjoy their chosen instrument and become passionate about music. For the others, music becomes more of a pressure and stress – from both their parents and music teachers.

We both came to the conclusion that like himself, students need to have a strong internal drive that allows for their own creativity to develop. These students need to seek out for themselves their own passions, the instrument of their choice (not their parents), and have their own role models (this can also be a parent!). It is these students who become deeply passionate about their music and very successful!

Many people think that thirty minutes is a very short amount of time to learn anything, especially an instrument. Thirty minutes flies by in the blink of an eye. It could be the time you take to catch a bus or train to school every day, or the time you take to do the grocery shopping with your parents, or not even watch a complete T.V. show! At school, thirty minute lunch times fly by before you’ve even had a chance to eat your lunch, have a game of soccer, and go to the bathroom!

Have you ever heard any philosophical phrases and quotes that tell you to use your time wisely, and to not waste your time? You might think philosophical quotes are too far-fetched and only for adults, but it actually applies to everyone! Focusing and concentrating for thirty minutes can help you achieve a lot! It’s amazing how much a student can learn in a thirty minute music lesson – one in which both the teacher and student are giving their 100%! Next time I’m on a bus or train ride somewhere, I will put my brain to use and learn another language.

Many surveys have been conducted about the top 5 things adults regret not doing during their younger years. Amongst the top 5, unsurprisingly, was that they regretted not picking up an instrument. So I begin to wonder, naturally, why this is so.

Music is an essential part of all our lives, so it is not a surprise that many adults who did not learn music in their youth regret not picking it up. I can’t imagine my day without music. If I did not listen to music in the bus and train, I would die of boredom. If there was no background music in movies, there would be no mood created, no matter how good the actors were. Music is no doubt a fundamental part of our lives. It is food not only for our brains, but also our souls (or so they say).

So to all the people who regret not picking up an instrument, stop regretting and start learning to play an instrument today!

A couple of days left and all our performers our anticipating for the big day – the CONCERT. Its a hectic week though, as most of the lesson time is spent polishing that final piece and hitting the right note so they can practise at home.

Others though who aren’t ready to perform for the concert aren’t entirely left out. They on the other hand anticipate for the long awaited Christmas holidays. Some have trips planned and are all excited about their holidays while others are worried about losing their musical touch. Hence, have been enquiring about summer lessons. All in all though its a been an exciting and productive week.

Countless times each shift I hear teachers telling their faithful students to practice, practice and practice more. And after thinking about it for a while, I ask myself “What do teachers mean when they tell their students to practice?”

Having learnt piano for a while back in the day, I remember my teacher giving me 10 circles to colour in, one for each time I practiced my piece. So my aim was not to play my piece perfectly and colour in one dot, but rather to colour in the 10 dots as quickly as possible so I could go and play. My hurried, rough practice sessions obviously did not do me any good, but instead set me back considerably.

Looking back, if I had practiced my pieces the right way, I probably would have gotten further than I had, and probably would have enjoyed my lessons a lot more as well.

So what is practicing the right way anyway? One of our renown teachers suggests that practicing the right way involves playing a piece that is suitable for your level- that is, not too easy and not too difficult, but just right. It also involves playing at a tempo that you can handle- there is no point trying to play a piece very fast if you’re going to play a million mistakes. You are inevitably practicing your mistakes as well! So take your time, challenge yourself but don’t go overboard, and have fun practicing! You will look back and be grateful for your efforts!

Due to the strenuous pressure of exams, I am sitting here covering tonight’s shift for the girl that usually comes on Thursday nights. Having done Thursdays before, there were many familiar faces, as well as a few faces I could not recognise.

One student, however, was unusually delighted to see me again, and greeted me with a big smile and open arms. I was quite taken aback by this, as I am not the most chummy type of person, nor am I one to make physical contact with others, no matter how slight it may be (sorry future boyfriend).

Nonetheless, she was very warm and friendly, asked how I had been, why I hadn’t been here, etc. And although I like to sit here at the front desk and answer your questions in between thinking about various things, it is small, subtle things like what happened today that really make it worth working here!

How good is pressure? Of course, stress can be a side-effect of pressure, but it amazes me the extent to which a human being can be pushed and pulled to with the right amount of pressure. After a whole semester of learning a subject, within the last 2-3 weeks just before the final examination, pressure forces me to understand, comprehend and learn everything I had been struggling with for the semester.

Likewise, a student who has been struggling to find time to practice throughout the year is suddenly practicing hours each day, having extra lessons with the teacher, and improving dramatically in just the last two weeks! Of course, the pressure of an official examination involving certificates, money and a record on your resume in the future has a role in this! Pressure motivates everyone to push themselves to the limits and achieve things you never thought you could. Maybe that’s just what you need to push yourself just that little bit further to complete that piece you’re learning!

Remember not to let the pressure get to you so much that the stress causes your health to deteriorate! Too much pressure, like in a balloon, can cause you to explode!

One of our adult students who has joined our school recently has notified us that he would like to perform at our annual concert this year. Because most of our adult students do not tend to participate in our annual concert, I was surprised not only to hear that he was going to be a part of it, but was also amazed by his enthusiasm and keenness that he took the initiative (big word- I know. It means ‘first step’) to ask to be a part of it.

Although he hasn’t been with us for long, during the few times that I have had the chance to talk with him, I felt that he had a deep and genuine passion for music that has made him strive to keep learning and perfecting his skills. Not only does his enthusiasm make him want to aim higher and perform better, but it also makes the viewers appreciate his performance at a greater level. So to all our performers, show some enthusiasm when performing!

There are so many different types of pianos out there today, that it’s almost impossible to decide which one to choose. For a beginner student (and the parents), the decisions and choices that come with a piano can be very stressful.

If you choose a piano that is too small in size, you have to go through the process of choosing and buying another piano later on (when you/your child grows in size). One important thing to remember is that there are no differences between ‘beginner’ or ‘advanced’ pianos – anyone can play  any piano, no matter what level or age you are. But, if you want to keep your piano for up to 40 years (or longer), remember to keep it in good condition!

One thing students and parents tend to forget is that the piano can go out of tune. When your piano starts to sound slightly off – it might be time to get it tuned! Playing on an un-tuned piano can make the entire piece sound just horribly wrong!