Klarinet Archive - Posting 000172.txt from 2002/06

From: Nancy Buckman <eefer@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Teaching the 'students' of today
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 18:10:33 -0400

When I was 8 years old I begged my parents for a piano and they bought me
one. I asked for lessons and they sent me to one of the local teachers who
just happened to teach at the local high school. I studied with him for
two years with reasonable progress. But then, after finishing level two of
the Michael Aaron series, I asked to switch to John Thompson because I
liked the classic pieces that were presented for study. My teacher felt
they weren't the way to go and kept me in the Michael Aaron series for the
next 2 years. In this time, I made through to level 6. At the completion
of this level, I was started on some jazz studies, which I totally
hated. My teacher insisted that I learn the subject matter at hand, we had
an argument, he told me that I would never amount to much of a musician
without those studies and so, in a fit of temper, I quit. By then I was
in ninth grade and wanted to play in the band. So I signed up for band and
was admitted only because I had so many years of piano under my
belt. Within a year I had mastered both the clarinet and trumpet well
enough to play in the varsity Concert Band on clarinet and the school
marching band on trumpet. I have played continuously with great enjoyment
ever since.

The lesson here is that the teacher isn't always right and may not be the
right teacher for the student. Imagine if I had quit just because a
teacher was so short-sighted as to ruin my joy at making music. One of the
first things I ask my students is whether they are taking lessons because
their parents are making them or if they really want to for their own
enjoyment. The next thing I ask is what they want to study. Then I try to
put together a six-week trial program for them. At the end of that time,
if they are happy, we continue and if not, then I politely tell the parents
the score and end it right there.

Sometimes I think a different teacher would be a better choice for the
student if they want to study something that I am weak at, such as the jazz
that I force feed to myself every year by playing with a jazz
ensemble. You see my piano teacher was right that studying jazz would make
me a better musician, but he was wrong to shove it down my
throat. Fortunately for me though, I still loved music enough to not push
it away in disgust, just because I had an errant teacher.

I crossed paths with this teacher not to long ago. He is eighty-eight
years old now and can no longer play his instrument (trombone) with a
group, but we did sit down at his piano and he was very surprised to see
how far I had come since that fiery argument with my nasty temper-tantrum.

Just a tale from memory lane,

Nancy

Nancy Buckman
Principal Clarinet, Orchestra AACC
eefer@-----.net

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