Klarinet Archive - Posting 000447.txt from 1997/10

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Differing styles of teaching
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 15:07:08 -0400

On Tue, 7 Oct 1997, Terry Summa wrote:

> This teacher was narrow in approach and was not open to other methods
> other than his own. In my teaching, what works best for the individual
> student to attain a good sound and articulation is fine with me.

This is a big dilemma for most teachers. On the one hand, we all realize
that every student is different, and that it is not our job to turn out
carbon copies of ourselves. However, it is also true that what we can
best teach is what we know best. I can teach my students the ways that I
do things, and also some other techniques that I know. However, I can't
effectively teach a style or approach which may be diametrically opposed
to what I know how to do.

Fortunately, students normally have the opportunity to learn from more
than one teacher, so they are not totally in the dark about techniques
which may differ from those of their own teacher. Ideally, what will
happen is that a musician will study with several teachers, and will
eventually pick and choose certain techniques from each of them. This is
how we form our own personal style.

> If a student articulates well, we don't even discuss how it is being done.

I know that many teachers use this approach. However, this means that the
student who happens intuitively to hit upon an effective method of
articulation will never have the advantage of hearing a discussion of
various types and techniques of articulation, and in the future may be at
a loss to know how to help students of their own.

One of my former teachers said that the greatest compliment ever paid to
him as a teacher was from one of his former students who commented that he
must have had a great deal of trouble learning to play the instrument in
his student days, because he was so good at explaining every technique
required for playing. I think there is some truth in that thought.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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