Many parents TRY to manage the development of a young musician like the bottom line of a business. But as a parent you will fail them, and you end up with nothing. After 24 years of teaching music... trust me. A musician, and any artist, is like a garden. They need the structure and elements to grow. Then then need time. And I don't mean "Get to your room and play your instrument for an-arbitrary-number-of-hours" time. But rather the freedom to pick up their instrument over and over again. To find their place with it. To learn that it's not homework. To learn that it's not something to feel shame over if they didn't pick it up yesterday. To playfully experiment and find their sense of artistry and style. To musically answer the questions of "Who am I?", "How do I like my playing to sound?" and "What do I have to express to the world?" To find out answers for questions like "Who will I share my journey of self expression with?" and "Are there other experiences I want to add to my music?" Meanwhile, young musicians will face mental challenges we all face, just in different ways. "What if I make mistakes?" What if I'm not talented or special?", "What if I fail?", "Will anyone like my music?", "Will I have the courage to share it at all?". Once again: A musician, and any artist, is like a garden. They need the structure and elements to grow. Then then need time. And I don't mean "Get to your room and play your instrument for an-arbitrary-number-of-hours" time. But an opportunity to work out their growth OVER TIME. All this without the threat of being uprooted if someone thought that their growth would look different than it does. Have you experienced being uprooted while learning? Have you struggled with the "Go practice" or bottom-line mentality? Share your comments!
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2014
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