Parental Influence on Children's Musical Lives

Today's post is an abridged version of a overview of research literature on the influence of parental involvement in children's musical lives. The Suzuki Method is built on the strong principle of parent involvement and research shows its benefits in the musical education of children. 

Just a little background on this research - I complied 12 research articles about parental involvement in children's musical lives, analyzed and compared the data, and drew conclusions from the results of each individual study. Below you will find a summary of the information from 3 of those 12 articles. 

This post is very research-y! But the results are fascinating and very applicable to our lessons! If you'd like to read a copy of the full paper I wrote, click here. 

Why is there a need for this research?

• Researchers are conducting studies in the field of education to document the effects of parental involvement on children's success in school - music learning is similar, so why not apply it to music learning?
• Support is vital for children in learning environments and that includes music
• Parent involvement is multi-faceted and various studies have been shown to have varying outcomes. This makes findings difficult to generalize so many studies need to be conducted
• Enhance educational outcomes for students through the informed use of parent involvement

Summary of the Literature

Parents influence their children in many ways and the particular support they can provide may have a major influence on the nature and form of a child’s accomplishments. A growing body of research suggests that parents might support children in persisting in learning musical instruments and developing musical expertise. Research reveals the value of collaborative learning for the child with other family members to assist in the development of  higher levels of competence in cognitive and social skills. Researchers who examined the learning of instrumental music have also investigated selected aspects of parental involvement as it relates to musical performance and music achievement. 

Research Studies

1. The role of parental influences in the development of musical performance. 
Davidson, J. W., Howe, M. J, Moore, D. G., Sloboda, J. A. (1996). Journal of Developmental Psychology.

Sample

• 257 children, ages 8-18 
• Divided into 5 groups based on different levels of musical competence
• experience ranges from children attending a specialist music school (like a fine arts academy) to children who stopped learning an instrument at least 1 year prior to being interviewed. 

Methodology

• Each child and at least one parent were independently interviewed by one of the authors. 

Results

• In general, the group of children at the specialist music school (Group 1) were rated as having significantly higher parental involvement than the groups of children who either never considered taking the instrument seriously or gave up learning and instrument (Groups 4 & 5).
• Between the ages 3-11 the average level of parental involvement in lessons was highest in Group 1 and lowest in Groups 4 and 5.  
• There was no significant group differences in parental involvement over the ages 12-14 and 15-17 years => parental involvement decreases as students gain more independence
• There were no differences between the groups in terms of the parent’s role in initiating practice. All children needed to be reminded to practice. (it's not just your child!!!)
• The more skilled the children were in music, the higher the parental involvement in lessons and practice. 
• However,  Groups 3 & 4 showed intermediate levels of involvement which increases in subsequent years. Group 5 shows consistently low levels of involvement.  

Parental Behaviors

• The mothers of Group 1 children were more involved in listening and playing music than the mothers of children in the other groups.  It is noted that the parents in Group 1 were not, in general, performing musicians - they do no more than listen to music at home. 
• The parents of Groups 1 & 2 are slightly involved in music, but become more involved as their child’s interest grows. 
• Group 3 parents are somewhat less involved in music than Group 1 & 2 parents, but also become more involved during the child’s period of learning. 
• In Groups 4 & 5 the parental interest in music is minimal and there is no increase in this interest as a result of the child’s involvement in music-making.

Conclusions and The Take-Away

• All students need to be reminded to practice, just like all children need to be reminded to brush their teeth. 
• Parent behaviors, in terms of involvement in practice and musical activities, was strongly correlated with student success and and musical competence. 

2. Parental involvement, selected student attributes, and learning outcomes in instrumental music
Zdzinski, S. F. (1996). Journal of Research in Music Education.

Sample

• 397 instrumental students from grades 4-12

Methodology & Measurements

• Used a variety of tests to measure affective outcomes, cognitive musical achievement, performance achievement, performance evaluation, parental involvement and music aptitude.

Results

• Parental involvement is related to instrumental music outcomes and found to be significantly related to affective, cognitive and performance outcomes (students attitudes, knowledge and skills)
• Affective outcome relationships increased in strength as subject age increased however the opposite was the case for cognitive and performance outcomes. 
• Cognitive and performance outcomes were only significantly related to parental involvement at elementary school levels and was not related at either the middle school or high school levels. 
• When grade-level correlations between performance scores and the parent involvement scale are examined, parental involvement was not found to be significantly related at the secondary levels but was significantly related at the elementary level. 
• The strongest relationship was found between parental involvement and student attitudes

Conclusions and The Take-Away

• Not all outcomes are the same - this is hard to measure 
• However, the researcher found a strong relationship between the involvement of parents and the student's attitudes towards music learning. 

3. Learning a musical instrument: the case for parental support. Creech, A. (2010). Music Education Research. 

Sample

• 263 violin teachers, 352 parents, 337 children (all of whom studied the violin) 

Methodology

• The views of parents, pupils and teachers were elicited via the ‘Survey of Parents’ Views’, ‘Survey of Pupil Attitudes to Learning the Violin’ and the ‘Survey of Teacher Attitudes’ developed for this study. 
• The researcher investigated interactions and interpersonal dynamics outcomes for parents, teachers and children based on information from the surveys. 

Results

• The results indicated that generally parents did provide relatively high levels of behavioral support. Behavioral support was at its highest when children were 9-11 years old. 
• Parents that took a substantial amount of responsibility in the lessons provided their children with the highest amount of behavioral (monitors practice, attends lessons) and personal support (offers help). 
• Parents did prioritize providing resources for learning in the home, encouraged extra-curricular musical activities and supported their children by attending their concerts. 
• Cognitive/intellectual support was at it’s highest for the oldest group of students. 
• Personal support included variables that indicated parents were interested in their children’ s goals and views, rewarded their children with praise and were aware of dynamics between the child and the teacher. 

Conclusions and The Take-Away

• Creech examined the dynamics between parent and child as well as parent-child-teacher, very similar to the Suzuki Triangle. She identified different interactions and interpersonal dynamics between parents, children and teachers and examined how those interactions influenced students' enjoyment of music, personal satisfaction, motivation, self-efficacy and self-esteem.
• As noted in previous studies, the results showed vastly different outcomes for students. No one interaction was clearly superior though certain types of interactions to avoid are suggested

General Conclusions

All three studies show the positive effects of parental support in music lessons. Parental support is necessary to developing successful musical skills. 

• The Davidson, et al, study shows that successful music students have the highest level of parental support in music. 
• Zdzinski’s study shows that parental involvement and attitudes have an effect on student attitudes and affective outcomes in music. This alone indicates that parental support shapes a student’s attitude toward music. 
• Creech’s studies show that specific parent-teacher-student interactions have specific outcomes on student’s musical ability.  

Together, these three studies validate the need for parent support and briefly highlight what types of support is most effective during which age as well as which particular interactions facilitate and yield success. All three studies, with different designs and methods, yield results that validate the wisdom that parents play an important role in children’s motivation, attitudes and achievement. 

References

Creech, A. (2010). Learning a musical instrument: the case for parental support. Music Education Research, 12 (1), 13-32.

Davidson, J. W., Howe, M. J, Moore, D. G., Sloboda, J. A. (1996). The role of parental influences in the development of musical performance. Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14, 399-412.

Zdzinski, S. F. (1996). Parental involvement, selected student attributes, and learning outcomes in instrumental music. Journal of Research in Music Education, 44, 34-48.

Why the Suzuki Method works, why I love it and it's benefits

Why the Suzuki Method works

In my opinion, one way is because the method is based on the simple language learning premise. All children, Dr. Suzuki observed, learn to speak their native language with ease. This happens through constant repetition combined with constant immersion in the language, encouragement and reinforcement. This makes so much sense to me - music is a language so why not teach it similarly to the way we learn our native language? I believe it's a brilliant premise and has been proven successful for decades since the founding of the method. 

Also, the Suzuki Method is a highly organized, methodical and thoughtful approach to learning an instrument. The repertoire is sequentially presented and begins with developing, solidifying and refining the foundation skills needed for students to be successful long-term. Then the method builds on those skills as the repertoire progresses. The Twinkles take so long to get through because there are so many skills that need to be learned and automatized before moving on. Twinkle IS the foundation of the student's cello playing. From there, skills are layered on top of those that are already solid. Much like building a house, you don't want to start on weak foundation or everything will come crashing down sooner or later.

Also, the Suzuki Method de-emphasizes the notion that children need to be "talented" or show promise in musical ability or aptitude.  Not only is every child is capable of learning a musical instrument but every child also has the capacity to truly excel at learning a musical instrument. Ability is learned, not innate. 

There has been much research on the topic of developing ability and is most commonly known as the 10,000 Hours of Practice or the 10,000 Hour Rule. Granted, my goal isn't to make master cellists and there are many other facets needed to achieve excellence in any field but the point is: practice and repetition of skills, not natural talent, yields progress, improvement and ability. 

Parent involvement has been shown in a number of studies in general education to be extraordinarily beneficial for students. The same goes for music. Parent involvement is a big component in the Suzuki Method because it works. Parents are the home teacher and act as a second set of eyes to help guide the student through the practice. The parent knows what to fix, how to fix it and deeply understands the music learning process at any given level. Also, the time spent in lessons and in home practice is arguably some of the highest quality time spent between parent and child. Though there may be many tense moments, the teamwork between parent and child is beautiful and creates a stronger bond and relationship. I am in awe whenever I see that teamwork unfold in the lessons and get to witness first hand what parent and child can do together.

Students taking Suzuki lessons learn to sing and play beautiful music from the beginning. Additionally, surrounding the student in beautiful music, immersing them in the qualities that move us and constantly honing the ability to recreate those qualities reinforces creating beautiful music. The lessons aren't focused solely on building technique and skills with scales and etudes. That isn't to say students do not do scales, etudes and all the wonderful technique builders, but the focus is never solely on those aspects. The focus is always on playing beautiful music with a beautiful sound all developed from within the child and nurtured from an early age.

Why I love it

I love it because it’s an organized, sequential method that still leaves a lot of room to do supplemental pieces or technique. It's a structured yet flexible approach. But the emphasis is never taken away from learning to play beautifully. 

The Suzuki Method offers students a unique experience from the very start: social interaction with their peers in a musical setting. Some of my favorite moments throughout my years of playing the cello are being with friends in an rehearsal or getting together and playing music before dinner. Additionally, students learn from this social interaction; they learn by observing other children learn, just like they learn language from their parents as babies. 

Also, the principle of repetition falls perfectly in-line with behavioral psychology. Learning and repetition of a skill until it is automatic changes the brain physiology so I am literally changing your child’s brain, which I think is so cool! 

Lastly, Suzuki isn't all about teaching your child how to play the cello. It's about teaching your child. Suzuki has given me the amazing and wonderful opportunity to work with your children, struggle with them and watch them grow into amazing little human beings. Margaret Rowell, a well-known cello pedagogue, was known for saying “I don’t teach the cello because the cello can’t learn! I teach the human being.” She taught not just cello technique but also encouraged her students to be vibrant, interesting and engaged people. I love being able to teach the instrument and the required skills needed to play it, but more importantly, I relish in being able to teach skills necessary for lifetime of learning. The benefits of the Suzuki Method are extraordinary. Which leads me to...

The benefits

Hard work, Character and Grit. 

Arguably, students can gain this from many other domains, such as sports or other arts. But it is amazing to struggle with a student and work together with the parent on 'getting' something - a skill, a musical phrase, a concept - and then see it just click. The epiphany, the relief and the joy is such a rewarding experience not only for the student, but also the parent and myself. The lessons learned from pushing through and working hard even when discouraged are priceless. Developed from that is an aspect of character called grit, or the ability to sustain interest in and effort toward goals, especially those that are long-term. Additionally, there is a fair amount of research on grit and how it is a better predictor academic performance than IQ scores, which again further strengthens Suzuki's character development philosophy.  

Self-Discipline & Self- Motivation

Related to grit is the self-discipline and self-motivation students develop as a result of this long-term process. It's a beautiful moment when I get to see a child motivated to fix a problem and the self-discipline and perseverance to keep at it and see it through. This discipline and motivation doesn't come naturally immediately. Just like we are developing ability through regular lessons, we are also developing these aspects of character throughout the whole process.

Focus

Learning to play a musical instrument is no easy feat. I'm asking your child to do an incredibly difficult thing. The attention span and focus needed for learning an instrument is enormous. In addition, there are a number of different ways I'm asking your child to focus. Performing for an audience requires a different kind of focus than getting that darn first finger in place 7 times in a row. Not only does your child learn how to intensely attend to one task for varying amounts of time, your child also learns how to focus in a variety of different capacities. 

Most importantly, learning an instrument requires both quality focus and full, deliberate attention. Daniel Goleman, an influential psychologist, writes that "paying full attention seems to boost the mind’s processing speed, strengthen synaptic connections, and expand or create neural networks for what we are practicing. At least at first. But as you master how to execute the new routine, repeated practice transfers control of that skill from the top-down system for intentional focus to bottom-up circuits that eventually make its execution effortless. At that point you don’t need to think about it - you can do the routine well enough on automatic." 

Focus is needed at first. Intense, deliberate and quality focus. But then it becomes easier, easier and eventually automatic. Just like learning how to hold the bow. No part of holding the bow is natural, but after a period of very deliberate and focused practice, it becomes easier. Down the road, picking up a bow is very easy, natural and automatic.

Expertise & Accomplishment

When most musicians graduate high school, they are experts in their field already. Think about that. How many 18-year-olds go to college already an expert in their field? How many have logged thousands upon thousands of hours of practice, have experienced the professional world first hand and have a lengthy C.V. and list of accomplishments? Not many. But musicians do.

Even children experience this level of expertise from a very young age in Suzuki lessons. By the end of Book 1, your child is an expert at Twinkle. At the end of Book 3, your child sounds no different from the Suzuki recordings of Twinkle - the differences are imperceptible. Every skill at every stage is mastered. 

Related to expertise is the level of accomplishment a student experiences from the completion of a task, whether it's from a successful recital performance, from overcoming a challenge or practicing Go Tell Aunt Rhody 100 times. Students get to witness firsthand the direct relationship between their hard work and their resulting accomplishments.

Problem-solving skills

One very valuable aspect of learning is muddling through problems on your own. Students learn deeper and learning is strengthened by working through problems independently. I structure and facilitate moments in the lessons often for students to work through a problem and try to find a solution while I help guide them in the right direction, mediate frustration and, sometimes, soothe tears. Those often uncomfortable moments are priceless in the grand scheme of learning and life experiences for students. Those moments stick with them for a lifetime. 

I could write much more about all of these above topics. In addition, there is so much great literature about there topics in other domains and multiple domains. I hope to return to many of these topics more in depth at a later time, so stay tuned!

Suzuki Philosophy

Below you will find an extensive discussion of the Suzuki philosophy. It’s an edited excerpt from a document I wrote in graduate school so my apologies if it seems very research-y, stiff and dry!

Language Learning

Shinichi Suzuki observed that very young children could learn the complicated language of Japanese with relative ease (Carey, 1979). He recalled back to his own childhood that learning his native Japanese was fairly easy but learning German later as a adult proved very difficult (Suzuki, 1983). Suzuki realized that children the world over learn to speak their native language with ease and he applied the basic principles of language acquisition to the learning of music, and called his method the Mother Tongue Method (“Suzuki Twinkler” 1998). He observed that children designated as “slow learners” had already proven the ability to speak their language and Suzuki asked why they could not develop other abilities (Carey, 1979). Suzuki determined five different factors that contribute to language learning based on his observations and research: 

(1) the environment and its influence on the infant; 

(2) using constant repetition to teach and encourage the infant to create sounds; 

(3) the attitude of the parents after the baby begins gaining language skills; 

(4) progress through daily practice and repetition; 

(5) “[t]he skillfulness with which the parents build up enthusiasm in the child, and the happiness the child finds in acquiring its newfound ability” (Carey, 1978).

From the moment of birth, babies are surrounded by spoken words. The constant immersion in language gives babies and young children the natural environment to hear words, sentences and the nuances of language to learn to imitate and speak language functionally in society (“Every Child Can!”, 2003).

With instrument learning, the child begins listening to the recordings of the Suzuki pieces weeks prior to the first lesson. This way, the child has been surrounded by and internalized the songs to be learned (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). Though children typically begin learning the instrument at age 3, Suzuki stresses that listening to great music can begin much earlier, as early as infancy. This principle has it’s foundation in the Mother Tongue Method and Suzuki’s extensive research and observation of language learning.

An often controversial principle of the Suzuki method is the delay of note-reading. However, when compared to language learning, the delay of reading is logical. Children learn and become quite skillful at speaking a language but this often takes several years to develop to fluency. Quite similarly with music, Suzuki teachers delay reading until after the acquisition of solid aural, technical and musical skills (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). No music is used until technique is firmly established. And though note reading is introduced later, the age and development of the child are also a factor in the decision to beginning to develop the skill of reading music (Kendall, 1966).

Every Child Can

The name of Suzuki’s school and method, “Saino-Kyoiku” or Talent Education, directly reflects an essential tenet of the philosophy - every child can develop ability (Kendall, 1966). Suzuki based his approach on the belief that “musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability which can be developed” (Kendall, 1966). “Any child who is properly trained can develop musical ability, just as all children develop the ability to speak their mother tongue. The potential of every child is unlimited” (“Suzuki Twinkler”, 1998).

“Every child can” learn is a central tenet of the Suzuki philosophy and is even the name of the Suzuki Association of the Americas’ introductory course for parents and teachers new to Suzuki education (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). Suzuki believed that every child could develop the ability to play the violin and has talent. He wished to give the gift of music to every child no matter the perceived ability of the child. Suzuki’s discovery that every child learns their mother tongue led to his belief that all children innately possess an ability to learn. To Suzuki, the words “talent” and “ability” are synonymous and he believed in cultivating ability to the highest possible standard (Landers, 1980). Suzuki also believed that all children have the potential to develop musical ability in the same way all children learn their mother tongue. Music is not a gift bestowed upon a select talented few but is accessible to all children regardless of ability or a inclination for music. However, it is important to note that the philosophy of Talent Education is not solely concerned with the development of musical ability in children. It’s main goal is the development of full human potential (Landers, 1980).

Character first, then ability

Suzuki’s arguably most well-known quote most effectively summarizes his philosophy on his students: “character first, then ability”. Suzuki emphasized that his focus is not on making great music but rather great people. The development of the human being is ultimately more important than the development of the musician. However, excellent teaching achieves both. “Teaching music is not my main purpose, I want to make good citizens”, stated Suzuki (Suzuki, 1983). He sought total development of the whole child, not just the development of musical abilities but the means of development of each child’s character is through the study of music. For Suzuki, “[t]he purpose of music education is to develop noble human beings in order to make the world more peaceful and loving” (Hendricks, 2011).

Suzuki also stressed that in order for character development and talent education to be successful, this education needs to begin at the day of birth. The environment, rather than genetics, determine the success, or failure, of the student in all areas, not just music learning (Kreitman, 1998). Another major tenet of the philosophy and well-known Suzuki aphorism is that “the human being is a product of his environment” (Kendall, 1966). Possibly due to Suzuki’s personal experiences of living through two detrimental world wars, much of Suzuki philosophy concerns the environmental impact on the child and many factors within fall under the category of environment.

Other Philosophical Tenets

In addition to the main philosophical ideas of the Mother Tongue method and character development, there are other philosophical principles upheld by Suzuki and Suzuki-trained teachers.

Repetition

Related to the Mother Tongue method is repetition as a means for skill development and accumulation (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). When children learn to speak, the same words are repeated over and over again. “Only through frequent repetition can [children] master the meaning and function of language” (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). In language, once a sound or word is learned, it is not thrown away and never used again. It is used in a variety of different contexts, and is refined and incorporated into more intricate uses of language. The “[r]epetition of experiences is important for learning” and learning music is no different from learning a language or a new skill (Suzuki, 1981). On the instrument, students continue to practice their previously learned pieces daily to continue to refine and incorporate more sophisticated skills. “Students are expected to revisit the repertoire again and again, bringing their ever-increasing skills and insights to the music as they reach toward higher and higher artistic standards” (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). The repetition of skills and review of previous learned repertoire are essential components of the Suzuki philosophy and method.

Parent Involvement

Another large aspect of the Suzuki philosophy is parent involvement. Suzuki believed that successful learning is fostered by the relationship between the parent, the child and the teacher - the Suzuki Triangle. He believed that the family’s commitment and understanding of the philosophy were crucial to the child’s success. Parents play a large role in a child’s language learning in addition to a multitude of other skills, both mental and physical (“Every Child Can!”, 2003). In Suzuki lessons, the parent attends every lesson and learns along with the student, takes notes, learns to tune the instrument and develops an understanding of the correct postures. The parent also guides the daily practice at home and is, essentially, the home teacher. Often, the parents learn to play the instrument too in order to help their children and to motivate their children to learn (Kendall, 1966). Parental involvement also shapes the home environment of the child which, in turn, influences the development of values and ideas of the child as the child grows into an independent human being (“Every Child Can!”, 2003).

Social Interaction

Another parallel to language learning is student participation in both private lessons and group classes. The contact with peers in a musical setting is no different than children learning language or other skills from other children. Children observe other children, learn new skills and are motivated by others and this is no different in music learning. Akin to language learning, children participate together in the shared experience of speaking another language, music (“Every Child Can!”, 2003).


As a result of the careful and continual consideration as well as development of his philosophy and method, Suzuki is well-known across the globe. Today, thousands upon thousands of children participate in Suzuki private lessons and group lessons. The legacy Shinichi Suzuki left for the world is the experience of music given to hundreds of thousands of children across the world. His philosophies have contributed to creating a better, more caring and thoughtful community and generations of people through music study.

References

Carey, T. (1979). A study of Suzuki cello practices as used by selected American cello teachers (Doctoral dissertation, University of Iowa). Retrieved from http://celloplayingiseasy.com/ portal/Library/tabid/56/Default.aspx

“Every Child Can! An Introduction to Suzuki Education”. (2003). Boulder, Colorado: Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc.

Hendricks, K. (2011). “The Philosophy of Shinichi Suzuki ‘Music EDUCATION AS LOVE EDUCATION’”. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 19 (2), 136-154.

Honda, M. (1970). Talent Education - A Program for Early Development. Tokyo, Japan: Early Development Association

Kendall, J. (1966). The Suzuki Violin Method in American Music Education. Princeton, New Jersey: Suzuki Method International.

Landers, R. (1980). The Talent Education School of Shinichi Suzuki - An Analysis. Smithtown, New York: Exposition Press.

“Shinichi Suzuki”. (n.d.). In The Suzuki Association of the Americas. Retrieved from

http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/suzuki/

Suzuki, S. (1981). Ability Development from Age Zero. Miami, Florida: Warner Bros. Publications.

Suzuki, S. (1983). Nurtured by Love. Van Nuys, California: Alfred Publishing.

“Suzuki Twinkler”. (1998). In The Suzuki Association of the Americas. Retrieved from http://suzukiassociation.org/teachers/twinkler/

Suzuki Method Infographic

Check out this awesome infographic related to today's upcoming post!

Why do we have so many recitals?

As we approach recital season and prepare for the upcoming performance in October, I’m sure many of you wonder why I arrange for so many recitals. In reality, I wish I could do more!

I arrange for many performances because learning to perform well is skill that needs to be developed and refined over time and, like any skill, takes practice. LOTS of practice. It's no different from learning how to hold the bow. It can be challenging at first as well as scary and stressful but the more often we do it, the easier it becomes, to the point where getting up in front of an audience is no big deal. Performing once or twice a year isn’t sufficient to achieve that level of comfort with performing - it doesn’t give young performers an opportunity to practice and hone performance skills and especially doesn’t allow frequent enough opportunities to overcome any performance anxiety. By providing multiple performance opportunities, I hope to alleviate or avoid performance anxiety as well as develop confidence from many repeated positive experiences. Whether it’s a performance in a local park, in group class or in a formal setting with a pianist, every performance offers students the chance to practice their ability to get in front of a live audience and perform to the best of their ability.

In addition, performing often takes the pressure off the performance situation. When a student of any levels on gives one or two performances a year, the stakes are high! It has to be perfect! This is the only chance to do it! But when there are many opportunities, a mistake in one performance isn’t detrimental - there will be multiple opportunities to even perform the same piece.

In addition, performing an old piece (not the student’s current piece) also ensures a successful performing experience. When selecting a piece for a performance, my rule is that students can choose the piece but it must be at least three pieces behind their current piece in the Suzuki books. For example, if your child is currently learning Allegro, that is NOT an eligible piece. The first piece they are allowed to perform is Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Pieces that are suitable choices in addition to being three pieces back are also indicative of:

-very few, if any memory problems

-stable intonation

-correct bow directions

-good, resonant tone

-the student is comfortable with the piece

-it seems easy to play

Performing is not about proving you can play the piece. Rather, performing is about sharing beautiful music with an audience. Therefore, performing isn’t limited to playing a piece - it also involves stage presence, smiling, confidence and self-presentation. When performers are overwhelmed with the technical aspects of the piece, the overall presentation of the piece, the musicality, stage-presence and confidence, and joy of performing go out the window!

Even professional musicians never perform a ‘new’ piece. When Yo-Yo Ma performs, he’s playing a piece he's been working on and performing on a regular basis for many, many months, and often times years. Not days or weeks. Just like our food, our pieces need to be 'cooked' and 'well seasoned'. Only time and many repetitions achieve this outcome.

Ultimately, the goal of every performance is for every student to have a successful and positive experience. Performing frequently in addition to performing a well-prepared piece ensures this positive experience. Performing for an audience doesn't need to be a harrowing experience! In fact, sharing the beautiful music that results from all the hard work and preparation with an audience should be a joyful and fun experience.

Happy performing!