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Post by princessmoose on May 29, 2006 22:07:54 GMT
What would one normally do in a first lesson with new pupils who have already been learning for a few years? Would you see what they have done so far and where they want to go musically? Work on technique etc?
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Post by anacrusis on May 29, 2006 23:15:03 GMT
I've only got one pupil... I think that's right - see where they are at first, and where the biggest gremlins appear to be. Where they want to go, yes, but also where they ought to go comes into it - if someone has a glaring technical gap, it needs fixing. My pupil is mature and has taught herself for a long time - some things she does well, and I try to build on that, but where she struggles I find it difficult to persuade her to persist. Some bad habits are well-ingrained and I've found I need to chip away at them slowly rather than try to correct them fully or she'd seize up musically.
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Post by princessmoose on May 31, 2006 22:36:07 GMT
Thanks for that .
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Post by anacrusis on May 31, 2006 22:53:57 GMT
Had you a particular sort of pupil in mind? Mature/er..not so mature, still beginner-ish/advanced? My sprogs found it quite difficult to adjust to a new teacher whose approach was completely different to the previous one's. I've got through so many teachers myself now that I've actually become more flexible and teach-able in older years than I did as a teenager.
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Post by princessmoose on May 31, 2006 22:55:43 GMT
Well, it'll be a fair few students, ranging from beginner ish to grade 5/6 ish. Aged between 12- 16 years.
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Post by anacrusis on May 31, 2006 23:02:27 GMT
What do you think about the approach you so often hear about in the conservatoires, of a musician's technique being totally taken to bits and re-assembled? I wonder how necessary that really is, sometimes. People who've had it done to them all sound so demoralised...
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Post by princessmoose on Jun 1, 2006 10:44:38 GMT
That doesn't just happen at conservatoires. It happens at most universities, and many people feel so rubbish after their first lesson and want to quit. I think that approach works well if the pupil is prepared to work hard on new technique exercises and so forth. I had to change my embouchure and do loads of exercises that many would regard as pointless and boring, but they do help and I think it depends whether the pupil has enough motivation to be bothered to practice things like that.
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Post by anacrusis on Jun 1, 2006 13:27:38 GMT
I've certainly heard of times where such radical change does wonders - does it ever do the opposite, and stop a student in his/her tracks for good? I can see that if an embouchure is just plain wrong, it'd need changing completely, or if breathing is not well-supported, then some very boring exercises might be needed, but what if it were just one teacher's preference to use one way to double-tongue, and another's a different way?
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Post by princessmoose on Jun 1, 2006 14:21:46 GMT
I don't know. I think at university level it does work wonders and improve students, but then again, if people are studying at such a level then they should expect change and be prepared for it. Whereas younger students might find it a lot more difficult.
Double tonguing: I guess if a new teacher saw that their pupil could double tongue fine but just does it a different way then they should just let it go. Perhaps try the pupil with their way but not force it upon someone to change. As long as it works ok, there isn't any reason to change really.
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Post by elmo on Jun 1, 2006 14:57:49 GMT
What do you think about the approach you so often hear about in the conservatoires, of a musician's technique being totally taken to bits and re-assembled? I wonder how necessary that really is, sometimes. People who've had it done to them all sound so demoralised... It is depressing. But I guess it shows the people prepared to work and the ones who were just there for the ride
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Post by anacrusis on Jun 1, 2006 21:35:17 GMT
What do you think about the approach you so often hear about in the conservatoires, of a musician's technique being totally taken to bits and re-assembled? I wonder how necessary that really is, sometimes. People who've had it done to them all sound so demoralised... It is depressing. But I guess it shows the people prepared to work and the ones who were just there for the ride It certainly would do that. Although I've become much more teachable as I've got older - more willing to go against my instincts and let my teacher tell me what to do...and try to do it, too - there is a bit of me which stays bolshie when I like things I did before. The taking apart thing would have had me in tatters, I know; that's why I asked. Lucky I'm not a career musician...
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Post by princessmoose on Jun 1, 2006 21:38:29 GMT
It does destroy some people, but what one has to remember is that most students when they join a conservatoire/uni etc won't have done that much technique really, so anything they have to change will be for the better.
I did get warned from my fellow students about my first lesson with a new teacher at this level, and was told to be prepared to be ripped apart, but it didn't bother me in the slighest. I was expecting it anyway and I loved my first lesson, and with an amazing amazing teacher as well.
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Post by anacrusis on Jun 1, 2006 22:00:32 GMT
How do you go about giving a consultation lesson to a uni/conservatoire wannabe? Preliminary taking-apart session, or just giving warning of how the taking-apart will happen?
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Post by princessmoose on Jun 1, 2006 22:02:29 GMT
Depends how good they are, what there previous/current musical tuition is like. If you could see obvious faults then I would point them out and correct them, but also pre warn them about the ripping apart they're likely to get if they get in etc.
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Post by jod on Jun 2, 2006 10:00:53 GMT
I normally ask them to bring their current books and play/sing something familiar.
It's only once I've heard someone that I know what to do next.
Of course if someone has just passed an AB or Trinity Exam and are a bit short on music and don't want to play their last exam piece then I suggest a shopping list before their first lesson.
I've got so much vocal music kicking around, I can normally find something. It's amazing how many student start with "As long as he needs me" Lionel Bart if their adults or "The second star to the right" - from Peter Pan if they are children!
By the end of the 1st lesson, that's when they get the shopping list!
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