I understand that most people will not go into music as a career, so my number one goal for all of my students is to develop in them a love for music and the music making process that lasts them the rest of their lives, and to give them the tools to make music fluently and effortlessly.
When learning an instrument, one learns to problem solve, learn efficiently, set goals, focus intently, and be disciplined.
These are all skills that students will carry with them far beyond the domain of music.
To me, learning to play an instrument is about expressing emotions, telling stories, and connecting deeply with the music, the composer, and your audience.
My lessons include frequent discussions about the character and emotions of pieces, and expressing these aspects is the number one priority. Through this process, my students learn to become not just better musicians but more empathetic people in general.
Though every student progresses at their own pace, I truly believe every student is capable of being a master of their instrument. I make sure all my students feel capable of achieving their goals. I never degrade, shame, or yell at my students.
I strive to create an environment where students feel safe, confident, and comfortable to make mistakes, yet eager to fix them.
A highly supportive environment does not mean standards should drop. But I also understand that everyone has a different standard they should be held to. Expecting the impossible is a perfect way to make a student feel incompetent, no matter how supportive you are.
With this in mind, I constantly adjust my standards with my students and try to hold them to the highest standard they are capable of being held to without being discouraged.
No one is capable of reaching their goals if they don't have good practice strategies, and when they do, the sky's the limit.
With this in mind, we talk a lot about practice in lessons. We talk about what strategies to use and how exactly to allocate one's time during practice.
We also spend time reflecting on how practice goes each week. I give suggestions based on these reflections, allowing students to refine their practice process over time.
Sometimes I ask my students to record their practice so we can ensure they are practicing in a way that will guarantee results.
Ultimately, through all of our refining of practice strategies, all of my students develop confidence that the time they put in will guarantee results.
Even the most talented pianists in the world work tirelessly to get where they are. Lang Lang was known to practice up to 8 hours a day as a child. Talent exists, but it is overrated. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work. If you want to see results, you must work hard, no matter who you are.
Anyone promising you that you'll be able to play Moonlight Sonata or Rondo Alla Turka in a month is lying to you or completely delusional. There is no such thing as mastering piano in a few lessons and any decent pianist will tell you this.