Life-changing piano lessons

Like galore musicians, my travel started acknowledgment to a fabulous portion I heard 1 time (and for definite truthful galore more, but it has been a portion truthful I can’t rather tell) that moved my bosom and psyche truthful profoundly that I started daydreaming astir it and astir being capable to bash that aforesaid happening with the piano. I was possibly 10 oregon 13, but it took a portion until I yet got to person my parents to let maine to commencement learning the piano.

This led maine to statesman euphony lessons astatine the National Conservatoire present successful Guatemala, and, arsenic each euphony schools based connected tradition, the program included not lone soft per se, but besides Solfege, History, Tonal Harmony, and different subjects that are intended to nurture (and they really do) your philharmonic knowing and truthful your philharmonic interpretation. A mates of years aboriginal I decided to prosecute a euphony grade astatine university, and I obtained a Teacher’s Diploma successful Music and a bachelor’s grade successful euphony composition.

All of this gave maine the tools to yet “play the piano”, which we usually accidental erstwhile we perceive idiosyncratic “play” that instrument. But small did I cognize that determination is simply a immense magnitude down the specified survey of immoderate creator discipline, that is sometimes overlooked and underestimated – that is, the Human Dimension, with each its intricacies and complexities.  

And wherefore is it overlooked? Well, possibly due to the fact that we usually presume that arsenic artists (musicians, painters, writers…) that magnitude is an evident portion of us, and adjacent if that is true, nary 1 ever prepares america for the setbacks and antagonistic experiences that are inevitably portion of the journey. As musicians we whitethorn endure from signifier fright, we whitethorn look abusive/authoritarian teachers, we whitethorn beryllium immersed successful a toxic competitory environment, we whitethorn beryllium the people of intended mean critics, and nary of that has to bash with the subjects that we larn successful during our studies, and that hole america to go nonrecreational musicians – but it has a batch to bash with who we are arsenic quality beings and however we signifier our art.

These setbacks whitethorn pb america to reconsider our vocation way and that possibly we request a change. Some of america whitethorn determine to marque a extremist change, immoderate of america whitethorn determine to marque a tiny change. But each of this raises the question of however we tin thrive erstwhile facing specified hard challenges.

I started searching for answers and began to work blogs wherever different musicians shared their ain experiences successful akin situations; blogs wherever teachers shared their thoughts connected however to physique a steadfast method and learning environment; blogs wherever authors shared their thoughts connected creativity and however to foster it successful your ain practice; blogs that shared probe based tips to amended negociate show anxiety; and I recovered large resources successful authors similar Noa Kageyama, Forrest Kinney, William Westney, Graham Fitch, Penelope Roskell, Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist), Rhonda Rizzo, Zsolt Bognár and Michael Low.

In 1 of those blogs, I was peculiarly struck by an nonfiction that Dr. Michael Low shared wherever helium talked astir his ain travel with the piano, show anxiousness and the contented successful euphony education. It truly resonated with me, truthful I started pursuing his enactment closely.

At immoderate constituent we besides started sharing our philharmonic impressions done societal media and video chat. I shared with him that I was re-studying the Brahms’ Intermezzo successful A, op. 118 no. 2, and sent him a signaling I made of the piece.  I retrieve helium gave maine immoderate observations astir it and his enthusiasm to enactment connected it musically. I americium not exaggerating erstwhile I accidental that this acquisition has been beingness changing.

I person to accidental I’d ne'er had the accidental to truly discover and experiment with that (or immoderate other) piece, nor I person had the accidental to “think extracurricular the box” musically speaking, due to the fact that you are usually taught that determination are “rules” that you indispensable respect arsenic interpreter, and sometimes adjacent “fear”. There is thing incorrect with rules, but arsenic an creator you tin ever spot your ain criteria to usage them; however, lone an open-minded teacher and creator tin assistance you observe that, and 1 of them is Dr. Michael Low.

It amazes maine however spontaneously Dr. Low fosters that harmless situation for experimentation, and however done comic examples and nonstop questions helium challenges your ain beliefs: beryllium it astir the portion oregon the composer oregon your ain playing, ever successful a precise benignant and respectful manner, going beyond the aboveground and helping you to commencement reasoning much arsenic an creator than conscionable a “piano player”. And the champion portion is that determination are plentifulness of Eureka! moments, erstwhile you observe each the possibilities you person successful your ain hands, nether his guidance.

And adjacent if I person been successful soft lessons before, determination has ever been a unreserved and a unit to play a peculiar portion “perfectly”, not giving immoderate abstraction to truly observe it (besides the evident aspects of method and investigation that are intrinsic to the euphony study), and to find one’s ain dependable arsenic a instrumentalist and, astir importantly, arsenic artist. When determination is excessively overmuch sound outside, we get distracted from what we indispensable look for connected the inside.

After moving each this clip with Dr. Low and sharing absorbing discussions astir music, portion besides applying and pursuing each of his precise insightful proposal successful my ain signifier (both arsenic teacher and arsenic pianist), I person travel to assorted conclusions that marque maine deliberation astir however we tin thrive.

• There is not conscionable 1 answer, nor a close oregon incorrect one, but determination are immoderate wide thoughts that are worthy ever keeping successful mind:
• Music is simply a lifelong learning career/experience wherever 1 of our biggest enemies is the obsession with perfection
• Kindness, successful each aspect: with ourselves and with others, is simply a beingness changer arsenic it creates wonders
• Patience with our ain creator growth, arsenic nary way is the aforesaid arsenic different and determination is nary one-size-fits-all solution for specified large endeavor

As Vincent van Gogh wrote to his member Théo, in a missive from May 1882, with narration to the meaning of being an artist:

“(…) Those words people connote ever seeking without ever afloat finding. It’s the nonstop other of saying ‘I cognize it already; I’ve already recovered it’. To the champion of my knowledge, those words mean ‘I seek, I pursue, my bosom is successful it’.” 

Coach House Pianos London Showroom