Play and connect with other musicians: Whether it's with parents, family members, close friends or perfect strangers, many of you seemed to agree on one thing - musicians who play together are more likely to stay motivated.
Get Involved in a Group!
Make Music a Family Affair!
Beverley Williams, Instructor: "The students who do the best in their private lessons and are most motivated are the ones that play in their school orchestra. The group provides them with peers, yet a challenge to improve..."
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Christiane Pors, Instructor: "[Another] important motivator is a great chamber music program beginning in the early levels of study with easy chamber pieces..."
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Tessa Hildebrand, Instructor: "My students enjoy playing with other musicians whenever possible. I try to arrange for them to perform a small chamber piece as part of a studio recital or school performance..."
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Natalie Hockamier, Instructor: "I've found group lessons to be really helpful. We talk about practicing at home, share technique problems and solutions. I think they have fun and feel less isolated, since many of them don't have the opportunity to play in a school orchestra."
Chris Mahar, Parent: "We took up music as a family. I learned violin when my oldest...started Suzuki Method...Now, seven years later, we all play in our local music school orchestra together, though the girls have surpassed us musically in every way..." "...And knowing a bit about playing their instruments, it's harder for them to pull one over on us when it comes to practicing."
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Lisa & Darren McQuade, Parents: "My husband has our girls teach him how to play. They love it."
Full Motivation Ideas
Beverley Williams, Instructor: "The students who do the best in their private lessons and are most motivated are the ones that play in their school orchestra. The group provides them with peers, yet a challenge to improve. Their orchestra teacher and I seem to balance each other, and we make up a team of two people who really care about them musically and personally. They also have a chance to play chamber music, in quartets, full orchestra, accompany choral music and often even pit orchestra. They have a good balance of music that is challenging and fun to play. They have opportunities to audition for Allstate Orchestra and other honors groups. They have questions and know what their goals
are. The students I have who are home schooled or who have no orchestra at school are much more difficult to motivate. They get discouraged more easily. Their parents don't have as balanced a view as to what is important and what is not at different stages. Both the students are parents and students seem mentally healthier and easier to work with. I just love my students who are in school orchestra!"
Christiane
Pors, Instructor: "One of the greatest motivators proven over a 10 year period in an advanced string program I directed from 1984 to 2000 was Alice Kay Kanack's Creative Ability Development Program. I have noticed that your catalog has never carried this Warner Brothers publication. It comes with a CD and is self explanatory and was endorsed by Dr. Suzuki himself many years ago, and is the only classical music (not jazz) improvisation method available. Some of the abilities it created in the students in my program were: ability to have more confidence and less memory slips in performing standard repertoire, ability to compose, and of course the point of the method---the ability to improvise classical style music. Every string teacher should know about this method.
Another great motivator is play along CD's like the Dowani discs that play the music in 3 tempi--slow medium and tempo. Students love to practice slowly when they hear the accompaniment!
The other most important motivator is a great chamber music program beginning in the early levels of study with easy chamber pieces--Book 2 Suzuki level for example.
And last but not least---group class--if its Suzuki, then a great Suzuki class with additional
repertoire added like fiddle tunes and rags or blues or folk dances.
And of course--enough concerts and recitals scheduled so kids will have a reason to practice!"
Tessa Hildebrand, Instructor: "My students enjoy playing with other musicians whenever possible. I try to arrange for them to perform a small chamber piece as part of a studio recital or school performance and am happy to coach extra rehearsals even if the other musician is not my student. If there's a pianist in the house I will recommend the piano accompaniment books. To provide the opportunity to share music with appreciative audiences we hold our "dress rehearsal" one week before the recital at a local nursing home or assisted living center. I play duets with a friend at area facilities on a regular basis and also encourage my students to schedule their own such performances.
I also try to be flexible when students ask to work on pieces outside their standard repertoire. This is often tricky, given the key signatures and complex rhythms found in popular music, but I can generally find something that fits in with the techniques they're working on (e.g. "Movie Instrumental Solos" available from Shar). When I can't, the future promise of being able to learn a pop song usually motivates the student to be more diligent in practicing current assignments.
In addition, I do my best to make information regarding summer camps, area youth ensembles, and upcoming community or professional orchestra concerts available to students and families via a web site. e.g. http://www.cursive.net/music/youthorchestras"
Chris Mahar, Parent: "Thanks for your email. I’d like to share our method of motivating and challenging our daughters, and ourselves.
We took up music as a family. I learned violin when my oldest, then 5, started Suzuki method violin which we embraced wholeheartedly. Shortly after that, my not yet 4 year old daughter began Suzuki cello lessons and we realized all we needed was a violist to have all the parts of a string quartet. It took us 2 years to convince my wife to take it up and she resisted greatly. Now, 7 years later, we all play in our local music school orchestra together, though the girls have surpassed us musically in every way. We play occasionally as a string quartet for schools, the library and for friends and family. It motivates the girls because they are much better than their parents. It also bonds us and gives us a common purpose. And knowing a bit about playing their instruments, it’s harder for them to pull one over on us when it comes to practicing.
