LEARNING PIANO FOR PLEASURE V. COMPETING FOR PRIZES

I wish I could have you meet or talk to all the adults who contact me wishing they had never given up piano. It's always the same story: "Mr. Weinberg, I took lessons all the way up to college, then stopped, and I really miss it now." Many of them were very active in Guild or Federation or local competitions, and even won awards. But no matter how accomplished, a common thread is wishing they had never given it up. The other common thread--and a very sad one--is that they now have no time to devote to practice. I make this observation after dealing with working adults returning to lessons, most of whom fumble and stumble through one semester of school (I teach in a university setting) and then drop out, frustrated by their lack of progress and disappointed in their life decisions. It's a fact that the physical agility and flexibility, as well as the brain's aptitude to acquire musical concepts, decrease after a certain age (some say as early as 11). That's why I have very frank warnings on my website at http://88keys.8m.net/FAQ.html

I'm grateful that music has always been a part of my life. My father was a professional jazz musician and my first teacher was my mother. I grew up in Rochester, New York, going to all sorts of events at the famous Eastman Theater. In addition to piano, I studied brass in school and played in various ensembles. As an adult, with my children grown, I have discovered I love to teach.

I enjoy interaction with people, especially children. By teaching piano, I find fulfillment of all these aspects. It gives me a sense of purpose to impart my knowledge and lifelong passion for music —particularly piano— to those who want to learn. It gives me special satisfaction to work with kids who are learning the elements of music for the first time. Everything is brand new to them and it renews my own sense of joy and wonder in the miracle of sound and creation that I experienced as a little boy discovering the world's great works in concert and on records. Whether teaching piano, organ, theory, ear-training, improvisation, composition, or vocal coaching, I try to make the experience one of pleasure.

Let me give some background regarding my pedagogical practices before getting to the conclusion of the "Pleasure versus Competition" theme. Learning is the #1 thing, NOT performance. That's why I dislike the Suzuki method. Kids may learn to play (by endless repetition) but every Suzuki student who transfers to me has seriously limited notation reading skills. For piano students, I have used —with much success over the past 5 years— the Piano Adventures method by Nancy and Randall Faber. For the older students I have also used the Accelerated Piano Adventures as well as the Adult Piano Adventures. These provide a solid structured framework which I feel is essential in a sequential, long-term course. I routinely expand and expound upon the written materials, adding in and occasionally editing to present the most complete education experience I can. In the process, I have a good time interacting with my students, young and old, and feel that our sessions are a very personal, friendly time of sharing something beautiful together. My contact with parents is also personal, but necessarily more business-like. I always give freely of my time to those who are interested in being involved in their children's learning, since I firmly believe family support at home makes practice doubly productive.

Being in Nashville, I often have people come to me who want to become singing stars in a few weeks, or learn to accompany themselves quickly to enhance their songwriting efforts. I try to discourage these requests, and emphasize that music is like learning a language and a physical skill at the same time, like Korean in conjunction with TaeKwonDo. It takes time, facility, lots of work, and dedication.

I do not believe in teaching people to play "by ear." Playing by ear is a God-given aptitude, and I think people who have the gift to play by ear teach themselves. A teacher cannot bestow this ability, however one can "fine tune" it through education in music theory. For the occasional adult who wants to study only jazz or improv, I use books like "Classic Jazz Standards" (Bill Boyd) or "Boogie Woogie Hanon" (Alfassy) or "The Joy of Jazz" (Agay) supplemented by charts, lead sheets and fake books.

A piano teacher must be a competent pianist. This is crucial in order to demonstrate a properly executed passage. (Besides, it's good for my ego when a wide-eyed student asks, "How did you do that?") I have one student now who has had to back up a couple levels in her books because she had a teacher who never showed her how to play. She never learned from hearing examples or seeing correct hand position, fingerings, phrasing, etc. demonstrated. On top of that, her teacher was uncritical, passing her on every piece without her having truly learned to play. I practiced hard growing up, and as a music major, and as a long-time church musician, so I know how to practice! Secondly, I am very knowledgeable in music, having spent all my life around it, and having earned a master's degree in music education. Thirdly, I know how to communicate this knowledge. Communication is very important to me and I take pride in being able to convey concepts to learners in a positive, constructive manner. As I tell my students, none of whom are on a music career path, the main point of them taking lessons is to have fun and enjoy the activity of playing.

CONCLUSION
This is why I dropped out of the Nashville piano teacher's "sub-culture" of Piano Teachers Guild and other such organizations that pit children against each other. I did not want to hear one more parent ask me, "Why didn't Claire win a prize? I think she's pretty good for her age." Even if she were, it's not my desire to be caught in the middle of an unhappy parent and a judge who may or may not make sound decisions. And I've winced in pain at some of the judges I've seen recruited for these so-called "auditions." There is no quality control! As I tell many perplexed parents who transfer their kids to me, only to wonder why the child doesn't know this or that, piano teaching is an unregulated industry.

James Weinberg, BMus, MME is an adjunct faculty member at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. His primary website regarding Belmont Academy is James' Music Studio. He is also an organist with information at Nashville Wedding Organist.

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