Hi all,

It has been some time since I last wrote. I have a pupil who loves playing the trumpet and is on grade 4, having only started 18 months ago. He started playing the piano at the same time, but simply does not have as much enthusiasm to practice. I am running out of ideas as to what to do. He is currently working to do his grade one next term.

I put his lack of enthusiasm down to the fact that he can't get that same fast track results on the piano compared with the trumpet. I have advised both his parents and the pupil himself that patience is essential. He is not a natural pianist, and as a result has to work very hard at it. Why do so many parents think that the piano is an 'EASY' instrument? I think his parent thinks so, and also that the only things that matter are the grades, which is not true.

Any advice on the matter would be most appreciated,

Ethnomusicologist.

Well grade one after 18 months is quite good really, despite the exceptional progress on trumpet.
However, it is all down to self motivation. He doesn't sound interested enough in learning the piano. Does he really want to be doing this? It would be useful from a theory point of view to play some piano, and as an adult will be glad to be able to play a little, but he needs to decide for himself whether he really wants to be learning and if so organise his time to fit in the practises.

I had a student like that last year. Progress was very slow until November when I produced Piano Time Christmas Carols. The result - all carols learnt by Christmas! Sometimes children like to play pieces that they can play to grannies/aunties etc that they will recognise not just some sonata or whatever. Perhaps its not the piano thats the problem, but the music. Try and find out what kind of music he would like to play and maybe introduce him to books with well known pieces from TV/Film like Making The Grade, I can Play that, I've passed my grade 1 or even Easy Jazzin about (Wedgwood). As trio says, grade 1 after 18 months is pretty good.

QUOTE (noodle @ Mar 6 2005, 01:53 PM)

Perhaps its not the piano thats the problem, but the music. Try and find out what kind of music he would like to play and maybe introduce him to books with well known pieces from TV/Film ....

That strikes a chord with me. IMO the purpose of learning any instrument is to play music that you like.

Thanks for all your replies.

He seems interested in playing the piano and likes his grade one pieces. I rang his mother the other day to see what could be done, and I explained that he might want to do other pieces that he would really like, but the mother insisted that he just concentrate on exams as if they were what learning an instrument was all about, which I disagee on. Exams alone won't make you into a good musician. I tried to explain this, but it seemed to me as if the mother would have nothing of it, hence my original statement 'What to do?'

Ethnomusicologist.

QUOTE (ethnomusicologist @ Mar 9 2005, 10:14 PM)

hence my original statement 'What to do?'

I'm not a teacher but seriously stand up for what you believe in: you know what makes a good musician and you are the teacher, don't let his mother push you into forcing him along the exam treadmill quickly if you know that it isn't right for him.

QUOTE (ethnomusicologist @ Mar 9 2005, 10:14 PM)

I rang his mother the other day to see what could be done, and I explained that he might want to do other pieces that he would really like, but the mother insisted that he just concentrate on exams as if they were what learning an instrument was all about, which I disagee on.

Could you ask her why she thinks exams are so important? It's probably some sort of keeping up with the neighbours/acquaintances/other parents, but the exams also give non-musical parents some sort of measure of the competence of the teacher. Have you a competitive festival that he could enter? This gives the pupil more realistic experience of performing, both him and his mother immediate feedback and her the opportunity to compare his playing with others.

It would probably be a good idea to go through with the grade 1 exam, as he is working on this and then after that sit down with him and go through lots of other stuff and really find something that would motivate him. You could explain to mum that he needs inspiration to practice and finding music he loves will do a lot more for his progress than any exam music. In fact, he may progress so much that he may miss out a few grades and jump in at a higher level later on.

Tuff call.

Yes I agree with trio. Complete the G1 exam piano and go for it after that.

A pushy mum can be difficult but is she a musical mum? Is she pressuring him to do music when he would rather do football. Sounds like there is more to this. She probably thinks that as he is G4 on the trumpet that it should follow he can play anythng else. And of course this is not the case with piano as he has two hands to coordinate and two clefs to read!

I suspect that if you dont do as she thinks you should, she will find someone else who will and her son with either give up or fail an exam sooner or later and that will demoralise him and end the piano side of things.

QUOTE (ethnomusicologist @ Mar 9 2005, 10:14 PM)

Exams alone won't make you into a good musician. I tried to explain this, but it seemed to me as if the mother would have nothing of it, hence my original statement 'What to do?' Ethnomusicologist.

I would continue until he does his Grade 1 exam and then introduce some different repertiore. As you say, exams won't make a good musician and there is much more to learning an instrument than a succession of exam pieces. His mother is paying you to teach him and should let you get on with it as you know whats best for him as far as piano goes. If she is not prepared to accept your advice then you would be better without him.