This week I have invited private students, along with Sunbeams 2 and 3 students, to attend a workshop entitled Calming the Practice Monster. And although it sounds silly, the practice monster is real. He is the anxiety you face when you have a new song to work on. He is the nerves you encounter before a performance, or an exam. He’s the resentment toward me, or your mom or dad. He’s getting in the way of one more game on the Wii, or just a little longer (please mom?!) of talking/texting to your friends.
He’s ugly. And we need to address his presence.
Paul Coates has many ideas on how to vanquish the monster. How can we create the fun in music lessons? Isn’t that why we all began playing in the first place? Can we honour an agreement with ourselves? Can we stick to a plan to avoid disappointment on lesson day?
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much I say or ask something of my students. I’ve forgiven you all before (holidays = a break from practicing, that’s pretty familiar!). It’s nice to see another teacher’s perspective. And other students. If you attend this workshop, you’ll be among peers who really understand the struggles and joy of learning music. And I promise you’ll leave inspired.
If each class of Sunbeams 2 and 3 can attend, I will consider it a lesson and refund you for the cost of the workshop (1 parent & 1 child = $30 to attend). Please register here for the Kanata workshop on February 24, 2012. 2-5pm.
See you there!
Tempo Drive Music Studio 