The following is contributed by Marty Fort, Director of Columbia Arts Academy. Marty holds a Master's Degree in Guitar and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina. He has been teaching 20 years. If you like it, tell us!
After teaching 20 years and working with over 1000 students, I honestly believe that every student is different. That's the attitude we live by at the Academy and it's part of the reason why we're able to help so many students. As a result, some students will practice an hour a day, but many won't and they should not be given up on. What if my parents had given up on me? My parents enrolled me in piano, guitar and violin from age 5-9 and at age 9 I said, "I NEED A BREAK!". They never pushed me to practice and I still needed a break. At age 11, I saw Michael J Fox tearing it up on a mean guitar solo in Back to the Future, and I said to myself, "That's what I want to do!". I started lessons again and never looked back. The early years of piano, guitar and violin allowed me to have a head start in guitar. When I became serious this greatly benefited my progress. In other words: every lesson is an investment in your child's musical future. Every recital is a monumental achievement that they may not appreciate for years. Lessons are like vegetables and I still don't like to eat broccoli, but my wife doesn't make cookies every night!
I know that a lot of children refuse to practice, so I ask you to consider the following: Don't measure practice in hours. Measure it in "what" they will play for you. Go for quality not quantity. If they will play one 60 second piece every week or so, to show you that they're learning, you're doing the right thing. Students need their musical broccoli (lessons) whether they use it now or in the future. Just because your child isn't practicing today, doesn't mean they will not practice someday. We have seen remarkable transformations with students who go from 0 to 60 because they get inspired by a concert or movie, just as I did. Last December my 5 year old niece, Lilly, played Jingle Bells at her school's recital. As her uncle and guitar teacher, my only goal with her is that she plays a song for me once a week. I don't sweat the hour per day, I just want to see her LOVE music, love guitar and progress bit by bit.
This is the formula to success, so that when she is mature enough, she will have all of the right early training in place. But no matter the level of your child's practice, if they're not breaking their instrument and running out of their lesson, I assure you, they're doing ok!
At the Champaign School of Music, we believe the same. We are delighted when our students practice consistently and daily however we do not believe that music is only for those elite few. Even minimal time spent at a child's instrument lays the groundwork for many years of musical enjoyment. Encourage your child to play a song or part of a song or a lick or a melody line for you every week and you'll see their skills and love of music grow bit by bit! We are looking forward to hearing our students perform at the Holiday Concert coming up!
