Working for a more musical tomorrow

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2005 by Gail Berenson, Scott McBride Smith

Most people love what they believe they do well. Providing students the opportunity to become independent is empowering to a student. This may be the impetus that prompts a student to want to learn, to improve and to strive for a higher level of musicianship; the real desire originates from within.

There have been times when we have been amazed when a student rose to meet a challenge. By gradually raising the benchmark and establishing new objectives, "rising to the challenge" might become a regular occurrence. An important reminder: we always have to make sure our students possess the skills to handle the challenge. Without those skills or knowledge, a student can easily become frustrated or discouraged, and may begin to doubt his or her ability to play well.

Providing our students the tools to succeed and believing in their ability to achieve will help them mature into confident musicians. This holds true whether they perform in their living rooms for their families or on the Carnegie Hall stage for the world.

In all the Essential Skills covered in these four articles, big and small, there is one constant: the crucial responsibility of each teacher to serve as a healthy role-model, demonstrating caring and excellence that challenges each student to become committed, to whatever degree talent and aspiration allow. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Many thanks to our co-authors for involving us in the learning process about essential skills, and thanks to you, MTNA members, for all you do to build a more musical tomorrow.

Gail Berenson Offers an Example of "Raising the Bar

Mary Beth was a conscientious music therapy student who arrived at her lessons fairly well prepared, but somehow seemed unable to bring her repertoire to a refined, polished level. When I encouraged her to consider the idea of sharing a recital with one of her classmates, serving as a culminating event for her undergraduate piano study, she was both flattered and slightly panicked. Her degree program did not require any kind of recital requirement, and she had primarily regarded recitals as something done mostly by performance majors. Mary Beth knew I would not have suggested this to her if I had not believed that she could successfully handle the challenge. Suddenly her work took on greater purpose. In the process, she began to demand more of herself, discovering a focus and desire to learn that was present all along, but which she had left untapped until this occasion. Her note to me following her recital, which began, "Thank you for believing in me!" indicated how proud she was of her accomplishment and reflected her newly found confidence in her ability to rise to the challenge.

Gail Berenson, NCTM, is MTNA president. Formerly MTNA vice president and Ohio MTNA president, she is professor of piano and chair of keyboard division at Ohio University in Athens. Berenson also is co-author of A Symposium for Pianists and Teachers: Strategies to Develop the Mind and Body for Optimal Performance.