Is there such thing as 'musical maturity'?

[Faun]

peanut_butter:

hardworking_mom:

I wondered if this is the learning pace set for all music school. Or if there is more creative way in learning piano for children?

C** school does have an guideline telling their teachers to promote students up at least a grade/year. There are always creative way to learn and teach piano. It's the practicing part that's the issue.

Don't know about you guys, but I feel that a bit of through-train is good for the student. Imagine 8 exams for 8 grades. The happiest people is the $ABRSM$. One naturally wants to give his best in the exam and practiced like mad just like PSLE, so stressful and so much time spent to refine the 3 pieces. I think if possible, instead of one grade per year, make it 2 grades alternate year. If necessary, take 3 years instead of 2 years to prepare for
the exam. In between exam years, do repertoire of different style of music. It's much more fun this way.

I'm not a music person but I see this way works for my dd. it's much less stressful and more enjoyable.

Ideally, it's best to play by ear whether to take exam base on the kid's ability and time availability rather than fixing a schedule.


BTW, hardworking-mom,

I seriously think you should change a teacher. She sounds terrible. Like MMM said, the school concert band is a great place to encourage his music
learning but do take note that it's requires a lot of time commitment.

[phankao]

jce:

As a teacher myself, I don't apply this \"rule\", if the child is not ready for a new piece then I won't add a new piece. As Fristrom mentioned, if the foundation is shaky why pile on more

But you can give another piece of similar standard, or else young children working on the same piece would get bored and simply not want to practise anymore.

In any case, I think the teacher that hardworking_mom has is horrid!!! I'd change her pronto!

[dasalo]

I asked the same question afew years back and some says yes and some says for some it never happen. To me, I would say yes, there is such thing as ‘Musical Maturity’.


As one gets older, the things they see, hear, experience and learn helps in musical expressions. It depends very much on the child themselves, some are very musical from very young and some are not. It is best to expose them to the history of composers, attend concerts and bring them to parks and let them hear/look sounds of nature/surroundings. Depends on how serious you want or they want to be (we parents must work very hard…lol). Walk/run with metronome helps in rhythm and pulse beating in their heart. Singing also helps.

At a very young age, it is vital to persevere regardless of musical maturity or not to have the basic foundation right. Once they have solid foundation (technical skills) music will just flow when they gets older.

[fristrom]

dasalo:

I asked the same question afew years back and some says yes and some says for some it never happen. To me, I would say yes, there is such thing as 'Musical Maturity'.

Guess you are correct. In a different way, some settle down i.e. mature when they have kids... but some never do.

[jce]

The child won’t be playing only one piece, there would always be a few books on the go so won’t get bored.

[hardworking_mom]

Thanks moms for all your encouragements and suggestions. Ds had another class yesterday. He did better than last wk. Teacher felt he had improved too. I shared with her how I encouraged him and suggested she introduce new song alternate wk to ensure he had mastered old songs first. Since I haven't found an alternate teacher, I will have to be more involved supervising ds etc. Looks like I am learning piano too. :roll:

[jce]

I know of two mums who do that too, ie learn together with the child. One of them actually sits down and have a real proper lesson from me (whilst my colleague teaches the son in another room). Another mum will sit in during the lesson while I teach her daughter. In the latter, it’s still manageable since the daughter is only at beginner stage so the mummy can pick up bits and pieces here and there to help the daughter along.

[peanut_butter]

This rhythm exercise is interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91_j5EioMd8&feature=related?

[fristrom]

hardworking_mom:

Thanks moms for all your encouragements and suggestions. Ds had another class yesterday. He did better than last wk. Teacher felt he had improved too. I shared with her how I encouraged him and suggested she introduce new song alternate wk to ensure he had mastered old songs first. Since I haven't found an alternate teacher, I will have to be more involved supervising ds etc. Looks like I am learning piano too. :roll:

I am glad that to hear the improvement. In my case, I have been sitting in my daughter's violin case since she started learning from the current teacher. I found that it really helps as I know what to look out for when my daughter is practicing. Apart from that, it is a great learning experience, and I definitely appreciate the violin much more now.

[Faun]

fristrom:

hardworking_mom:

Thanks moms for all your encouragements and suggestions. Ds had another class yesterday. He did better than last wk. Teacher felt he had improved too. I shared with her how I encouraged him and suggested she introduce new song alternate wk to ensure he had mastered old songs first. Since I haven't found an alternate teacher, I will have to be more involved supervising ds etc. Looks like I am learning piano too. :roll:

I am glad that to hear the improvement. In my case, I have been sitting in my daughter's violin case since she started learning from the current teacher. I found that it really helps as I know what to look out for when my daughter is practicing. Apart from that, it is a great learning experience, and I definitely appreciate the violin much more now.

I've never sat in my dd's lessons. I prefer to leave her music learning entirely between her and the teacher. I tried to help by reading up theory and understand what the exam syllabus covers but after her grade 2, it was quite difficult for me. Guess I'm too lazy to catch up with her. I'd rather pursue my interest in other instruments Zen Drumming and Guitar.
Having to learn an instrument myself has made me appreciate the struggles she has to go through even more. She also feels that I'm learning with her albeit different instruments.