Play it Again, Sam: What, Why and When to Repeat - Book Review

American Music Teacher, Feb-March, 2004 by Louis Nagel

by Marienne Uszler. The FJH Music Company, Inc. (2525 Davie Rd., Ste. 360, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317-7424), 2003. 62pp. $8.95.

This is a gem of a book. Only sixty-two pages long, it is a treasure-trove of pedagogical wisdom. Addressing key issues about practicing, this book is readable not only by students, but teachers as well. And the format, posing questions and responding with thoughtful and articulate answers dealing with the processes of repetition, makes the reader feel as if he or she actually is participating in a series of lessons.

The first chapter is titled "Listen to Yourself." A seemingly simple concept, but often a teacher will encourage a student to do just that without focusing on what exactly the student is supposed to listen for. Marienne Uszler asks, among other questions, "How many times do you stop to repeat a small detail?" "Do you repeat only until you get it right, or do you play it more, for good measure?" "Do you repeat to correct technical or rhythmic or musical flaws?" "How do you handle the issue of approaching proper tempo in the repetition process?" "Do you (the teacher) find imaginative ways to keep a student in focus when repeating?"

In a chapter titled "Sorting Through Skills," she discusses learning to tap in groups, learning how to play legato (What an artistic teacher one must be to teach this concept to young students!) how to play a smooth two-octave scale and how to distinguish between melody and accompaniment. We tend to take these basis concepts for granted, but they must be taught at some time early in a student's musical experience. Uszler groups the various skills into those primarily physical, visual or mental (another important concept) and syntheses of these skills. In the chapter titled "How the Body Learns," there is a bullet I wish to quote fully:

   What may not be so obvious is
   that the heart of motor learning is
   the inner feedback. If the learner
   has not established an internal
   feedback system and instead relies
   entirely on something or someone
   external to report whether the
   motion is successful, then learning
   the motor skill is jeopardized
   because an important link in the
   learning process is missing.

The importance of that idea cannot be stressed strongly enough in my opinion.

In her discussion of legato, both as a concept and is a technical process, Uszler states, "Ultimately, legato must be heard. Have the student close his eyes or look away. Play several examples, some with good legato, some with pitches overlapping and some disconnected. Ask for student feedback." And, of course, this takes us into the idea of ear training at lessons, not only pitch but also concept identification. The author observes in a chapter called "Do-It-Yourself-Kit" that teachers may spend too much time talking about how to play and not enough time allowing students to experience what it is they should be doing. Truly, actions speak louder than words at piano lessons!

A powerful two pages is the chapter titled "Facts or Big Ideas." It concludes with the following paragraph: "A bag full of many facts, however, is not a truly valuable asset unless a student also has some understanding of how the facts can be related--how, when combined or contrasted, they form a sequence or pattern, which itself becomes a building block to be used in forming ever more far-reaching ideas. It's the big ideas that are powerhouse tools because they're master keys that can open many doors."

Several chapters follow on specific practice strategies stressing the need to reinforce conceptual rather than only factual learning. Uszler quotes nineteenth-century piano teacher, Annie Curwen: "Things before signs, then, in all teaching." And she speaks with eloquence on page forty-seven when she offers teachers this opinion: "You're the one who makes sounds and music come alive for your students; it's you who responds and interacts as techniques are learned, ideas are explained, listening is challenged and pieces are mastered. If there's no rhythm in the room, it's because you're not making it real. If there's no beautiful sound in your studio, it's because you haven't modeled it sufficiently for it to become a desirable goal. If the learning process bogs down, it's because you aren't tapping into all the resources at your command. Remember, the best teachers are those who can, and do, say the same thing a thousand different ways, appealing to many senses and touching a thousand different nerve endings in order to stimulate someone else to independent thought and action."

There is so much else in this little booklet. But let me end this review by citing the brief and delightful chapter titled "How Many Times Should I Practice This?" Uszler caused me to rethink my age-old answer to this often-asked question, "until it is right!" She observes, in the practical area of teaching, that the fact a teacher assigns a specific number of repetitions often satisfies parents. And she discusses the fact that a specific number of repetitions often is part of a goal for a student. While it is not a guarantee that "ten times" will master the passage, it is part of a good approach to helping the student (and the parents) become goal-oriented. And, certainly, it is clear mastery comes from repeatedly addressing the problem, from a variety of creative ways, involving mental and physical skills. Uszler has confirmed and illuminated this idea with knowledge and charm in this exceptional little book. Reviewed by Louis Nagel, Ann Arbor, Michigan.