Leslie Tien Studios - Cello instruction and Performance - Lincoln, Nebraska
1. The parent is involved in the learning process. You come to every lesson, you listen to the CD with your child, and you are the home teacher (another way of saying, you practice with your child at home). Don’t be intimidated by this; I teach you what to do at the studio lesson. Our relationship is a triangle: child, parent, teacher. Every leg is equally important.
2. Listening to the CD is an important part of the learning process.
Your child listens every day to a CD of the pieces he is learning. I think this
is even more important than daily practice. I don’t know the actual physiological
reasons that repeated listening works, but I know that it does. I have proven
it in my own playing.
3. When children are very young or just beginning the instrument, I
do focus only on learning the technique of playing. This means that
for a little while, they play by ear. This is an excellent and valuable skill.
But before long, I begin to teach fundamental music-reading skills. So, my students
can both play by ear and read music.
4. Daily practice is, as you’ve probably guessed, very important
in learning to play a musical instrument (or play soccer, or give a speech,
or just about anything else in life). I do ask my students to practice
every day, even if a few minutes is all they can do (let your child’s
individual ability set the pace and length of time you practice). A little every
day is much better than a lot only one day a week. Dr. Suzuki’s famous
quote is, “only practice on the days you eat,” but I think one day
off a week is okay.
5. Repetition is how children learn. I use the goofy expression,
“wearing grooves in your brain.” If you get tired of listening to
the CD over and over, or practicing the same piece or group of notes repeatedly,
be assured your child doesn’t tire as easily as adults do. She will do
it willingly if you don’t let on that it’s boring. (Never say that
word around your child – you’ll lose his interest for sure!) Make
it fun, changing the way you approach problems, and practice won’t be
a chore.
6. Make it fun? Yes! That’s the whole point. My goal
is never to produce virtuoso cellists; it’s to give the gift of a love
of music. Children can’t love music if it’s associated with striving
for perfection or family tension. (Did you ever fight with your parents over
practicing? I did, and it wasn’t fun!) I like to make practicing a game
whenever possible, and I use all sorts of little rewards to make it challenging.
I can give you ideas, but I bet you have a lot of creative ideas yourself.
7. We always want to be as encouraging and positive as possible in our
practice. I know, we all get tired, but affirmation will get you much
further than criticism. And another little “rule” of mine is, “one
thing at a time.” We focus on one skill while playing, rather than trying
to get it all perfect. Eventually, all the things we focus on one at a time
come together in beautiful playing.
8. Group lessons and recitals are part of the Suzuki experience.
I will talk with you about getting your child into a group that’s appropriate
for her age and level of playing. Groups give children a social setting for
their music, and sometimes years-long friendships. We play lots of games in
group, and we learn to play together and read music. Groups are free, and are
approximately every other week. Recitals and other playing opportunities happen
several times a year, and give children confidence and group playing skills.
My recitals range from formal performances to informal parties.
Leslie Tien Studios - Cello instruction and Performance - Lincoln, Nebraska