Klarinet Archive - Posting 000540.txt from 1995/06

From: Mike Vaccaro <MVPROD@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: "Practice Makes Perfect?"
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 12:09:54 -0400

You wrote:

Hope you can settle a recurring argument between my daughter and myself
about the merits of daily practicing. Meghan is almost fourteen, has
been playing and taking lessons for clarinet and bass clarinet for five
years. She's a VERY good musician for her age, but even though her
teachers say daily practice is important, she feels "if you can play a
piece perfectly you don't need to keep practicing", nor do you need to
practice scales, etc. every day.

As an old piano player, I say practicing every day helps the fingers
"remember" and the discipline of setting time aside every day for
practice is important too.

So please let me know your thoughts on this topic. Sorry if you've
covered it "ad nauseum" in the past, but she's agreed to abide by the
opinion of the majority of those who respond.

Thanks in advance,

Meghan's Mom

amjones@-----.edu

I write:

As Meghan plays with better musicians she will HAVE to practice more. It is
better to start practicing now so she can play with better musicians sooner.
She may be the best in the high school band however when she gets to college
she will be competing against the best from each high school band. etc.

I takes a certain number of hours/years to become proficient enough to play
with fine musicians , which is the goal , to make music at that level. Then a
certain amount of hours to maintain and improve on the basic level throughout
ones life. If Meghan has serious aspirations about music. Now is the time to
start. The dicipline can be maddening but the musical rewards keep us all
going. I wont start a diatribe about the business here as that is another
subject.

If one loves music they practice and play and listen. Dont omit daily
dedicated listening as part of the routine as concept is the most important
part of practice.

Mike Vaccaro