Klarinet Archive - Posting 000709.txt from 2001/01

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: playing along with students
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 13:11:37 -0500

--- "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu> wrote:

> It is true that they need to hear good examples of the tone of their
> instrument, in addition to matters of musical interpretation. But, if
> the teacher is playing along with everything or nearly everything the
> student does, then a student with a good ear isn't really reading music,
> but is merely recreating what the teacher is doing. I have seen many
> examples of students who have been instructed in this manner who have
> very little idea of what music reading is all about.

<snip>

> "If you are playing, you aren't teaching."

I think these comments ignore an issue which is seminal to the prospect
of any student experiencing lasting pleasure and fulfillment when play-
ing their instrument -- namely, the notion of inspiration. Few exper-
iences can galvanize a student's passion for learning more effectively
than performing alongside their mentor (assuming the student respects
their teacher's playing). It may not be considered a form of "teaching"
by some, but I feel strongly that inspiring your students to love the
instrument, and to love learning about music, is of equal or greater im-
portance than the practical methods by which musicianship is brought
about. It's both humbling and inspiring to have your teacher model
a phrase for you, to hear their tone quality and their brand of musi-
cianship, especially if they do so on *your* setup. I remember our
Klarinet colleague Shouryu's exasperated post some months back, noting
how Laroy Borchert was able to produce his own characteristic clarinet
tone quality while using Shouryu's clarinet and mouthpiece setup. I'm
sure Shouryu was genuinely frustrated, but beneath it was doubtless a
great deal of admiration and yearning to be able to duplicate his teach-
er's mysterious talent. There's something liberating about being shown
that your instrument and setup are not responsible for shortcomings in
your own abilities. If done in a creative and encouraging way, a teacher
can make this sort of demonstration a source of enormous inspiration for
the student.

Recordings are great. Ensemble colleagues are invaluable. But having
one's teacher perform for and with the student is a very special form of
teaching that provides not only an example, but a vision for what's pos-
sible in that student's future. Only in extreme cases, where the stu-
dent is never allowed to play by him/herself in a lesson, can I see a
situation where playing alongside the student would be detrimental. If
the student isn't inspired, the most effective pedagogical techniques
in the world will fall on deaf ears.

-- Neil

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