Help! My student is having trouble before the competition!

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This topic has 10 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 3 months ago by Elizabeth Volpé Bligh.

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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February 22, 2011 at 3:17 pm #83281

janelle-lake
Participant

Any words of advice?

A young student has been coming to me for about two years (off and on) and she is scheduled to play in her second evaluation and audition.

February 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm #83282

catherine-rogers
Member

You mention the evaluation and audition. If you’re referring to the AHS Music Education Auditions, remember they are most emphatically not a competition. She should still get a certificate for participating even if she hasn’t made all the progress she should have made since the first session and will doubtless receive helpful advice from the adjudicator. She is in “competition” only with herself.

If the second session is open to observers, let her decide if she wants to do it. I would be shocked if anyone criticized her for making mistakes–no one is perfect. Perhaps this experience will motivate her to focus and work harder.

Just my two cents. Our local sessions begin this weekend.

February 22, 2011 at 11:58 pm #83283

patricia-jaeger
Member

Students are so different from each other. Emphasize what Catherine brought up: she’s only competing with herself. She didn’t use good practice discipline when she missed lessons due to snow etc., so she will reap the result of those actions in this audition. Her parents need to bring her to at least one extra, paid lesson if she is so excited about playing and doing well. Let the next-to-last lesson before the event be as much like the event as possible, with a stranger there listening, the allotted time given, and you, her teacher, writing down an honest evaluation, even wearing a different hat and calling yourself “Mrs. Brown, the Adjudicator” for example,

February 23, 2011 at 4:13 am #83284

Philippa mcauliffe
Participant

Parent point of view;

February 23, 2011 at 5:10 pm #83285

Alison
Participant

If I had to take a call on this, I’d say withdraw the piece which is unprepared and focus on the ones which

February 24, 2011 at 2:35 pm #83286

John McK
Participant

Maybe honesty is the best policy?

Run through the concerns you raised here – with the student. Let the student make the decision, but be totally up front about your concerns.

It’s dicy – the student might take this as an opportunity to “shoot the messenger” – you, or blame you as a bad teacher. Then again this could also happen if you just let the student perform and trainwreck. It’s a tough call – best of luck.

March 8, 2011 at 4:38 pm #83287

Alison
Participant

So Janelle, I am curious.

March 23, 2011 at 4:02 pm #83288

janelle-lake
Participant

Thank you all for your words of encouragement!

March 29, 2011 at 12:05 am #83289

alishia-joubert
Participant

Thanks for the recommendation on the book! Where can you find it and who is it written by?

May 12, 2011 at 2:22 pm #83290

janelle-lake
Participant

Hi Alisha!

May 13, 2011 at 5:54 am #83291

Elizabeth Volpé Bligh
Participant

I love these books by Philip Johnston. I already have his first two but i may have to get this one too.
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