tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5818932791380417975.post1957875005827872083..comments2016-05-28T09:33:51.341-05:00Comments on Collaborations: When a Student Hits a Proverbial WallKennith Freemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10642219228123659175noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5818932791380417975.post-91028429657600842492010-10-06T12:05:49.577-05:002010-10-06T12:05:49.577-05:00As a teenage piano student as I would go through l...As a teenage piano student as I would go through large parts of the year without practicing. I eventually got my Grade 9 Royal Conservatory and won just about every award there was in the local music festival. Treat the lesson as a scheduled practice and make the best of it. If you can't get consistent motivation, try for spurts of motivation. My spurts of motivation were brought on by exams and contests.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5818932791380417975.post-9742375348108102482010-09-04T23:37:07.742-05:002010-09-04T23:37:07.742-05:00Hi Kennith,
Ack! I don't envy you... been the...Hi Kennith,<br /><br />Ack! I don't envy you... been there, though, as has every teacher.<br /><br />A couple of ideas... although I have NO idea whether they might work...<br /><br />Duets. Could she handle a left hand part in 5-finger position? One with 3 notes in it?<br /><br />Playing a right-hand piece, then copying it with the left hand. That could be by looking at bass clef notes and playing with the right hand an octave higher... maybe she could do that by recognizing intervals?<br /><br />Can she sing? Would either solfedge or numbers help (do = 1, re = 2, etc.)?<br /><br />Giving her something she knows already, like Twinkle or Jingle Bells. Some piano books have pieces written out 2 ways. One hand plays it first, then it's rewritten in the same key for the other hand. (Alfred adult piano books come to mind...)<br /><br />Written note-naming homework. Not a lot at one time, just a small page. I used to have homework like that. The notes spelled words, which made it a little more fun.<br /><br />Maybe she would respond to a lesson w/another child...<br /><br />Once I had a student recital all set up, room reserved and all of that. Then recital week came and my students weren't ready. So, after freaking out about that, I decided to keep the reservation. I "conspired" with my students. We had what basically turned into a class. They played for each other, and their parents couldn't come! They LOVED it.<br /><br />And I loved it, too. A student would play, always with something happening. Faster than the tempo indication, or slower ~ louder or softer, notes too long to sound bouncy, etc. After each piece, I asked the other students questions about what they heard. They were very honest! You'd be AMAZED at how fast the performer changed dynamics, tempo, etc.<br /><br />Students sometimes don't accept what a teacher says because of the age difference, that fact that the teacher has played much longer, etc.<br /><br />You could ask her how she would help another student to learn the bass clef. <br /><br />Anyway, best of luck! Updates about this would be great!!!<br /><br /><i>Gretchen</i>Gretchen Saathoffhttp://gretchenspianos.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com