All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[ammonite]

metz:

waiyean:

[quote=\"phankao\"]
All that sounds really complex for a preschooler! Especially the aural dictation!

Actually, many schools have started these programs for preschooler. I remember when daughter was 4 years old, she was already asked to remember the composers from different eras, and to re-enforce the learning, she has to scrap book a book of composers. Every week, she will ask me to search for about 6-8 piece of information of a composer, together with pictures, so she can write them on a paper and decorate that page with photos and stickers. She enjoyed doing that tremendously. After composers, teacher also asked her to do the same for different instruments.

That was one of the reasons why I withdrew my daughter from the programme. [/quote]

Different strokes for different folks! Kids included! I don't think my two kids will enjoy the homework though they are open to reading books on musicians borrowed from the library. But it seems that waiyean's daughter enjoys and benefits from it. She may be a future composer!

[ammonite]

Imami:

The most recent lesson ended with the teacher saying,\"he is ok with his aural (or \"oral\"?) and theory. Fingers not strong enough, need to practise more. And I think we can start to look into musicianship.

:? What musicianship?

Another thing I find a little strange - the teacher showed a picture of a saxophone to my son and they spent some time talking about it. I am starting to wonder if it is common that \" general music appreciation\" is also incorporated into piano lessons? Not that I mind though, just.... Erm surprised.

Different teachers have different styles and philosophies. That is all. There are different pedagogies, just like preschools.

[Imami]

waiyean:

My daughter attends weekly lessons on musicianship.
It is actually a continuation of music appreciation, but covering more advanced stuff. She learns the various characteristics of the different genres, ie. baroque, classical, romantic, jazz, impressionism, etc. Also taught to listen to various textures, identify various kinds of cadences, harmonization, characteristics of a piece, as well as aural/singing. Teacher also ask her to write down the scores for a piece that is played, ie. need to catch the rhythm and pitch correctly.

I think there are more to it, but so far this is what has been covered.

So on top of weekly practical lessons, you daughter has a separate session for musicianship?

This is unique to your daughter's school right? Other schs or pte teachers don't have such coverage, or do they?

[Imami]

Dreamaurora:

If you are okay with it, then there's no problem. I generally stick to piano repertoire appreciation for my piano lessons and leave non-piano stuff to the theory lessons.

I am ok with it. In fact, I find the examples/components of the \"musicianship\" interesting.

I believe dreamaurora has sum up what I do not want. Somehow, i do not know how to word what I want to say. When I set my son on his piano learning journey, I do not want him to just do what is enough to go for piano exam. I would really want him to understand more, enjoy more and explore more. And I am very glad that this teacher is doing musicianship, however short the duration and simple the stuff, with my son.

[phankao]

metz:

The programme does include some practical lessons on digital keyboards. However, the progress on practical is kind of slow to me. From the website,

\"At the completion of the highest level of MYC program, children are competent to play at the Grade 2 Conservatory of Music level. Rhythm, theory, and ear training exceed the Grade 2 level.\"

So yes, it makes sense for parents to engage a separate teacher for practical lessons if the child shows advancement in playing music. But that means the parents' pockets must also be deep enough. :evil:

But on a serious note, I don't see my kids missing much without going through all these music appreciation/musicianship programmes. Whatever they didn't learn when they were preschoolers, they are learning them now at a faster pace.

Is this a good programme (MYC) for training composition? Mine enjoys exploring and creating tunes which he records himself.

[Imami]

waiyean:

I remember when daughter was 4 years old, she was already asked to remember the composers from different eras, and to re-enforce the learning, she has to scrap book a book of composers. Every week, she will ask me to search for about 6-8 piece of information of a composer, together with pictures, so she can write them on a paper and decorate that page with photos and stickers. She enjoyed doing that tremendously. After composers, teacher also asked her to do the same for different instruments.

These are considered music appreciation?

To find out more about these famous musicians, I actually hunt for children books on them to read but my son always beat me to it. Not just children books on musicians, I also buy books on famous scientists and artists.

[Imami]

metz:

That was one of the reasons why I withdrew my daughter from the programme.

I can imagine!

[waiyean]

Imami:

So on top of weekly practical lessons, you daughter has a separate session for musicianship?


This is unique to your daughter's school right? Other schs or pte teachers don't have such coverage, or do they?

Hi Imami,
Yes the musicianship class is separate from weekly practical lessons and theory class. Not sure what you mean unique to daughter's school, but many schools / pte teachers offers these classes.

[waiyean]

Imami:

waiyean:

I remember when daughter was 4 years old, she was already asked to remember the composers from different eras, and to re-enforce the learning, she has to scrap book a book of composers. Every week, she will ask me to search for about 6-8 piece of information of a composer, together with pictures, so she can write them on a paper and decorate that page with photos and stickers. She enjoyed doing that tremendously. After composers, teacher also asked her to do the same for different instruments.

These are considered music appreciation?

To find out more about these famous musicians, I actually hunt for children books on them to read but my son always beat me to it. Not just children books on musicians, I also buy books on famous scientists and artists.

I think they help in appreciating music. From knowing Bach from Baroque period, teacher introduce concepts of textures, ie. polyphonic, eg. from those inventions. Mozart from classical introduces homophonic, ie Alberti bass eg. his sonata in C major, etc. There will then be homework, where she is asked to listen to these pieces to be exposed to music from various genre.
This is a more lively way to teach these concepts to a preschooler, as compared to asking them to read it from a book. Teacher also plays this concepts on the piano, and then follow up with quizzes to identify them. You cannot get this from books.

Scrapbooking on instruments also builds up knowledge on the various families, transposing vs non transposing, cleft used, etc. This ties up very well with grade 4-5 theory which daughter is doing.

What I am saying is that musicianship connects up the link between practical and theory, and also trains up aural skills. Not necessary if you are only interested in going for exams, but very useful to provide a well rounded music training.

[Dreamaurora]

waiyean:

Imami:

[quote=\"waiyean\"] I remember when daughter was 4 years old, she was already asked to remember the composers from different eras, and to re-enforce the learning, she has to scrap book a book of composers. Every week, she will ask me to search for about 6-8 piece of information of a composer, together with pictures, so she can write them on a paper and decorate that page with photos and stickers. She enjoyed doing that tremendously. After composers, teacher also asked her to do the same for different instruments.

These are considered music appreciation?

To find out more about these famous musicians, I actually hunt for children books on them to read but my son always beat me to it. Not just children books on musicians, I also buy books on famous scientists and artists.

I think they help in appreciating music. From knowing Bach from Baroque period, teacher introduce concepts of textures, ie. polyphonic, eg. from those inventions. Mozart from classical introduces homophonic, ie Alberti bass eg. his sonata in C major, etc. There will then be homework, where she is asked to listen to these pieces to be exposed to music from various genre.
This is a more lively way to teach these concepts to a preschooler, as compared to asking them to read it from a book. Teacher also plays this concepts on the piano, and then follow up with quizzes to identify them. You cannot get this from books.

Scrapbooking on instruments also builds up knowledge on the various families, transposing vs non transposing, cleft used, etc. This ties up very well with grade 4-5 theory which daughter is doing.

What I am saying is that musicianship connects up the link between practical and theory, and also trains up aural skills. Not necessary if you are only interested in going for exams, but very useful to provide a well rounded music training.[/quote]Hmm, interesting. Most parents would be quite reluctant to spend the extra fund and effort at the initial stage of learning, so I commend you for your dedication.