Bonnie's Blog

My 7th grade student today had practiced. She played all the right notes and rhythm but there was no music in it. Everything sounded bumpy and awkward. “How much classical music do you listen to?” I asked. “Not much” she answered. Somehow I could tell. “So if you were trying to learn French, where would be the best place to learn it?” I asked. “In France, she replied.” “Well, if you’re trying to learn music you need to go to “Music-land”, you can’t learn in only one hour a week. Only by listening to lots of classical music will you be able to play with the “right accent” and know how the natives phrase and what words they use. Listening to classical music is easy and free on radio and the internet. I have a list of fun, dramatic pieces to start your listening library in my second book for students then another section with my favorite pieces and finally a list of the most popular classical pieces. She has a lot of fun listening ahead of her! And hopefully better lessons!

A friend of mine was “beating herself up” over having a bad diet day.”I’m such a pig! i ate two desserts!” This same friend has recently lost 20 pounds and has more self control than any of us. But she’s not perfect. I’m not either. And I bet you’re not either. It’s self-defeating to strive for perfection then get mad at yourself for being human. Dieting and becoming a musician are so similar! The road to becoming a skilled musician is always bumpy. It’s hard to learn this new technique or you mess up in a concert or contest. But if you are gradually getting better and working hard, that’s what’s important. Remember, what counts is progress, not perfection!