Teacher Dreamaurora - Piano Q&A

[metz]

waiyean:

Haha, well I guess different kids take to practices in different ways. End of the day your kids love music and are doing well, so it didn't matter how much they practice in the past.

I heard that NAFA students practice 2-3 hours a day, so my girl is not practicing too much.

My children weren't the ones who couldn't take such practices. It's the mummy who lacks the stamina, discipline and drive.

NAFA has very strict requirements, that's why the longer hours of practice? Anyway, most kids there should be 5 and above. Are you sending your dd for NAFA audition?

[waiyean]

Dreamaurora:

Some teachers prefer to let student work on a lot of pieces very fast, meaning touch and go on a piece. There is a saying that to learn the notes for a piece is only 10% of the work, 90% of the work is making it up to standard. So personally I would rather focus on smaller selection of pieces, but these pieces are to be practiced to a high standard fit for performance. My students typically work on around 5 pieces in detail per grade plus miscellaneous stuff such as duets. Have to strike a balance also. Too intense focus on limited number of pieces ala NAFA Young Talents may not sit well with some students as they may experience repertoire fatigue. Lack of repertoire focus may not be good also as students may miss out on the finer points of interpretation.

My girl's teacher wasn't the one who gave so many pieces. She only gives 1-2 new pieces each week. My DD has to perform 2 pieces in a masterclass each month, so the focus is always to bring these pieces up to performance standards. Other than that, she also prepares for the major school concerts and exam pieces.

However, basis your recommendation of spending 50% of practice time on repertoire pieces, that will give her 45 mins a day. That is probably sufficient time to work on 3 pieces a day, including time to work on the difficult parts, and playing the piece a couple of times. Assuming you work on the same piece every other day, the piece is polished probably over a 30 days period. Mathematically, over a 1 year period, should be able to play a repertoire of about 78 pieces to a reasonable level.

Hence, it is not really too much to cover a few books over one year, which is the time most people spend doing one grade. That's why I purchase additional books for my DD to play for her daily practice. Furthermore, the above calculations hasn't factored in the other 50% of time, part of which includes playing shorter sight reading pieces etc.

Having said all this, I have to admit piano practice is not a science. The kid do fall sick, do have the occassional days they spend in grandparent's house which do not have a piano, etc.

I do agree 100% with you that it is important to strike a balance between lack of repertoire focus and too intense focus.

[waiyean]

chamonix:

waiyean:

Haha, well I guess different kids take to practices in different ways. End of the day your kids love music and are doing well, so it didn't matter how much they practice in the past.

I heard that NAFA students practice 2-3 hours a day, so my girl is not practicing too much.

My children weren't the ones who couldn't take such practices. It's the mummy who lacks the stamina, discipline and drive.

NAFA has very strict requirements, that's why the longer hours of practice? Anyway, most kids there should be 5 and above. Are you sending your dd for NAFA audition?

I did consider, but thought the age requirement for NAFA is 6. Do they audition kids who are 4+, turning 5? I posted some questions over the NAFA thread, but hasn't gotten any response so far.

[metz]

waiyean:

I did consider, but thought the age requirement for NAFA is 6. Do they audition kids who are 4+, turning 5? I posted some questions over the NAFA thread, but hasn't gotten any response so far.

Have you checked out nafa's website? For violin, minimum age requirement is 4 years old; for piano, it is 5. The next audition could be near oct/nov. When I last enquired, it was in Nov. Try calling them for more info.

Did you comb through the Nafa thread? A poster shed some light on the audition for those younger than 6.

[waiyean]

chamonix:

waiyean:

I did consider, but thought the age requirement for NAFA is 6. Do they audition kids who are 4+, turning 5? I posted some questions over the NAFA thread, but hasn't gotten any response so far.

Have you checked out nafa's website? For violin, minimum age requirement is 4 years old; for piano, it is 5. The next audition could be near oct/nov. When I last enquired, it was in Nov. Try calling them for more info.

Did you comb through the Nafa thread? A poster shed some light on the audition for those younger than 6.

Yes, I have been through that thread. Have also checked out their website. The 5 year old requirement is for the prep class, but for grade 1-5, the age requirement is 6.

[phankao]

waiyean:

Yes, I have been through that thread. Have also checked out their website. The 5 year old requirement is for the prep class, but for grade 1-5, the age requirement is 6.

You have to be prepared that even if the child has certification, NAFA may not take in at that grade.

Many have gone for auditions with grade 3 certifications and NAFA puts them at Grade 1, and the parents get caught in a dilemma, unhappy that their child cannot go to the next grade but has seemingly go \"backwards\" ... altho' in a way, at NAFA, it's not true bc in the end, the child would still progress quite fast.

[waiyean]

phankao:

waiyean:

Yes, I have been through that thread. Have also checked out their website. The 5 year old requirement is for the prep class, but for grade 1-5, the age requirement is 6.

You have to be prepared that even if the child has certification, NAFA may not take in at that grade.

Many have gone for auditions with grade 3 certifications and NAFA puts them at Grade 1, and the parents get caught in a dilemma, unhappy that their child cannot go to the next grade but has seemingly go \"backwards\" ... altho' in a way, at NAFA, it's not true bc in the end, the child would still progress quite fast.

Yes, read about that too. Quite demoralizing for those children, to go back to grade 1 after grade 3. Think I won't want to put my girl through that. And the part on just focusing on a few exam pieces... Nightmare.

[phankao]

waiyean:

phankao:

[quote=\"waiyean\"]
Yes, I have been through that thread. Have also checked out their website. The 5 year old requirement is for the prep class, but for grade 1-5, the age requirement is 6.

You have to be prepared that even if the child has certification, NAFA may not take in at that grade.

Many have gone for auditions with grade 3 certifications and NAFA puts them at Grade 1, and the parents get caught in a dilemma, unhappy that their child cannot go to the next grade but has seemingly go \"backwards\" ... altho' in a way, at NAFA, it's not true bc in the end, the child would still progress quite fast.

Yes, read about that too. Quite demoralizing for those children, to go back to grade 1 after grade 3. Think I won't want to put my girl through that. And the part on just focusing on a few exam pieces... Nightmare.[/quote]My friend who's child went thru NAFA (not piano), did say not to worry about the Grade .. bc eventually they progress fast and the starting point doesn't matter anymore.

[Dreamaurora]

waiyean:

phankao:

[quote=\"waiyean\"]
Yes, I have been through that thread. Have also checked out their website. The 5 year old requirement is for the prep class, but for grade 1-5, the age requirement is 6.

You have to be prepared that even if the child has certification, NAFA may not take in at that grade.

Many have gone for auditions with grade 3 certifications and NAFA puts them at Grade 1, and the parents get caught in a dilemma, unhappy that their child cannot go to the next grade but has seemingly go \"backwards\" ... altho' in a way, at NAFA, it's not true bc in the end, the child would still progress quite fast.

Yes, read about that too. Quite demoralizing for those children, to go back to grade 1 after grade 3. Think I won't want to put my girl through that. And the part on just focusing on a few exam pieces... Nightmare.[/quote]Well, to be honest, there are a good number of teachers who can provide the same rate of progress and performance oppurtunities as NAFA. But I guess the assurance of grade 8 before PSLE and the prestige of being recognised as 'talented' are attractive prospects for many parents.

[metz]

Dreamaurora:

Well, to be honest, there are a good number of teachers who can provide the same rate of progress and performance oppurtunities as NAFA. But I guess the assurance of grade 8 before PSLE and the prestige of being recognised as 'talented' are attractive prospects for many parents.

I think there is a lack of awareness and knowledge of such teachers/schools. Most of the time, such teachers/schools are recommended through word of mouth. One seldom sees them being discussed or shared actively on forums.