How do we nurture the next generation of music makers?
How do we continue nurturing the next generation of music makers? Here lies the challenge: as teachers we are constantly balancing the desire for high musical standards while also attending to a student’s psychological and physical needs. On occasion, teachers’ egos can become so tied to their students’ successes that it makes it difficult for them to be sympathetic toward a student having difficulties in achieving the level expected. Years ago I saw an article in Running and FitNews, a newsletter from the American Running and Fitness Association, that focused on ways to excite children about fitness. The ideas easily correlate to music study. The article states, “What turns children on: having fun, feeling successful, playing with peers, sharing experiences with family, experiencing a variety of activities, having an enthusiastic coach [teacher], and feeling that an active lifestyle [music] is their choice. What turns children away: feeling forced to play through pain [unfortunately, a not uncommon occurrence in music study], never improving, getting ridiculed by friends, family or coach [teacher], putting winning above all else, doing the same thing over and over, getting injured too often, and not having a say in the sports [music] they play.”