A great concern among piano teachers is how to get their students to practice – daily.
But how many piano teachers actually spend time practicing? I do not have any statistics, but my guess is not many. Two years ago I challenged myself to play 12 scales and a new sonata or sonatina everyday – for 30 days. I loved every moment of it. And after the 30 days, I stopped. Oh, I have practiced here and there, but not daily. Not in the manner that I ask my students to practice. Should I call myself a hypocrite? A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings?
Inspired by Andrea’s Resolutions for Piano Teachers I want to commit to number…
4. Set aside a total of 60 minutes a week to practice…yes, YOU!
“This sounds easy… but it isn’t always! Set your alarm a bit earlier, turn off the TV a little sooner… do whatever it takes to steal some serious (yet do-able) “me” time on the piano. Start a binder of music you love to play so it is immediately at your fingertips and just enjoy making music for no other reason than personal pleasure. AND… commit to playing at least 3 different genres of music. Add jazz, pop, blues… change up your regular repertoire and watch your own musicality grow.”
Between bookkeeping cleaning, organizing, planning, emails, scheduling, paying bills, reading, learning, advertising, Unmarketing and so much more we do as Independent Piano teachers (plus what needs to be done at home…), the piano is only involved when a student walks through the door. Does this only happen to me?
I’ve lost my touch at the piano. I used to be able to make it sound exactly the way I wanted to. Now, all I hear is twaddle. Is it possible to twaddle while playing Bach? You better believe it.
This time my practice will not be just for 30 days. This time I am eliminating many things on my To-Do list and carving out time to spend at the piano – daily.
This piano teacher does not want to be a hypocrite anymore!
Care to join me?
I have only just found your blog. I am a teacher in the UK. I have recently decided to do the same thing as I found myself having to sight read Grade 6-8 Aural exams and as I was playing (with dare I say it, a few odd notes and a hesitation or two! Eekkk!) I thought to myself – PRACTISE LAURA!!! So I now try to set aside an hour a week to practise a few exercises, a few scales and ALL aural exams so I no longer have to sight read them!!!! (I do have the excuse that the new syllabus had only just come out a few months ago?)
Anyway. Glad it’s not just me who felt out of practise!!!