Ask the Professor: Magical Music & Helpful Tips

American Music Teacher, Dec, 2004 by Rachel Kramer

Ask the Professor: Magical Music & Helpful Tips, Starter Level, 1A, 1B, 2, music and lyrics by Janet Vagt; Professor's Comments by Janet Vogt, Gail Berenson and Judith Strickland Minter. Heritage Music Press, A Division of the Lorenz Corporation (P.O. Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401), 2004. 24 pp. each, $5.95 each. Easy.

For centuries the piano student has sat quietly by, week after week, listening to the teacher ramble on and on about "that note," "this sharp," "that forte" and "why are you rushing?" While most teachers would love for students to ask them questions, few students actually do, and seldom are the moments when a teacher engages in a discussion with a student about style or meaningful practice.

Ask the Professor--a breakthrough concept for students and teachers--is a way to open communication with the student and allow the student to ask the "professor" questions about musicianship, rhythm, recitals, practicing and technique. Questions are posed at the beginning of most pieces, and the professor answers. Sometimes the questions are related or reinforced in the piece that follows, and sometimes they are not. Clever repertoire and lyrics are a bonus to these supplementary materials for any method. The questions and repertoire are actually up to date with the kid culture of today (reference to Harry Potter for the two-note slur!).

While some questions are not exactly on the tip of the tongue of most students, for example: "How can I bring this piece to a quiet close?"--the questions are important in music study and will prompt some teachers to be more conscious of the various aspects of music that need to be covered in a lesson. Although several areas of music and performance are addressed (a few too many on recitals--30 percent of questions), there needs to be more questions regarding note reading, form and rhythm. Undoubtedly, the "magic" of Ask the Professor is in the communication, relationship and sharing of ideas that will develop between teacher and student. Reviewed by Rachel Kramer, Cincinnati, Ohio.