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Changing technique

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Home Forums Teaching the Harp Changing technique

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
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  • #83765
    unknown-user
    Participant

    I’m curious to know what people think of changing techniques? I am looking to go to University next year, and unsure whether to stay with my current “school’ of playing or to change.

    I have been laerning Salzedo method and did have some lessons from a french teacher, and it was so much easier. My current teacher is very supportive of me changing if that is what I want to do, but she did say I need to be sure that is what i want to do and not go back and forth changing all the time.

    Do you think you can change in your first year at Uni? will all your time be spent un learning and then re learning? Is it better to go with the method you already have learnt, so you can build on that? Or if you find it easier to play another way does that mean its the right technique for you?

    If anyone has changed technique around the first year of Uni I’d love to hear what you think. I don’t want to end up a mish mash of all different ideas and not doing anything well, which is what I’m worried about.

    #83766
    elinor-niemisto
    Participant

    I think it is a great idea to study a different technique.

    #83767
    unknown-user
    Participant

    Thank you so much Elinor for your kind words! I like the idea of the “bigger tool box” it made me laugh and I didn’t think of it that way before! I really do love the things that my current teacher has taught me, but I recently had lessons with a visiting french harpist and it was just like a light went off in my head! Everything was so much easier and I loved that she talked so much about the music, the expression, the phrasing etc etc. It just felt so right.

    I’ve been a bit scared of making the change as all my friends say that I’m crazy and that I’ll just end up all messed up technically. So I really want to thankyou

    #83768

    What is it you would gain musically from this? To me, it would be a waste of time unless there is no other program available where you can continue with your present technique. It will certainly slow down your work for a while. The people I know who have switched around schools in whatever direction have tended to have a mish-mosh in the end with no clear esthetic approach to the harp.

    Yes you can change, but it should only be for the better, whichever that is for you. Easier is not necessarily better. Think about your musical goals, and perhaps the repertoire you want to learn, and what kind of sound you want to have in the end. These are critical years. Will you be able to go to graduate school? How long will you have for advanced study? And what are your goals for after school? Why are you looking for what seems easier? Are you just avoiding working harder, which you will end up doing in any school? A French teacher may make it feel easier physically, but maybe you will have to do what Carl likes to talk about and play etudes all the time. They have their own ways of making it hard, I am pretty sure. Right?

    #83769
    unknown-user
    Participant

    What will I gain musically? Well, I was hoping that if french method suits me better I will eventually be able to play to a higher level and achieve

    #83770
    Misty Harrison
    Participant

    Natty it sounds like some of the things you like about working with this french teacher are the way she teaches not just

    #83771

    There are also teachers like Yu-Hsin Huang who started with French-style training and then received a thorough Salzedo training. She is in Singapore.

    #83772
    carl-swanson
    Participant

    I have to take issue with your post.It comes across as paranoid.

    I don’t know of any teacher who ever gave a masterclass who “gave easy fixes because they want to have an impact on you and the audience.” That is patently untrue.

    I also don’t know of any teacher who tries to boost their pay by taking on more students. Most college level teachers are limited by the school concerning the number of students they can take on. The typical harp department is 5 of 6 students. This is to make sure that the harp students there get to participate in ensembles and get orchestra experience.

    Your comment to about the teacher creating a positive environment or with students backstabbing each other is too bizarre to comment on.

    #83773
    unknown-user
    Participant

    Carl,

    I don’t think there was anything wrong with Misty’s post.

    As for masterclasses, I think she was trying to say that teachers try and put their best foot forward during a masterclass and so might only work on easier aspects – things that a student will be able to change relatively quickly. When one takes a masterclass, he expects to gain some unique feedback from “the master” in a limited time. Given the contrained time, it doesn’t make sense to work on something that may take months of study

    #83774
    Misty Harrison
    Participant

    Precisely! Thanks Sam. When you do a masterclass you pick things that aren’t easy but are fixable in a brief timespan because that’s all you have and that’s what’s expected. Because that’s what happens the teacher can seem to be a mircale worker when they’re just a good teacher choosing quick things to fix. Then the student thinks they should rush to study with that person but what they should do is take a lesson. Better yet a few of them. Then they get a fair idea of the whole package over time. I did not mean they try to deceive people in a masterclass setting.

    It’s been 23 years since I graduated college but there are three harpists in my area who each had a very rough bachelor’s degree because the teacher was not supportive and because the teacher allowed a very hostile environment where students would practice each others orchestra parts in the next room and create interferences with practice

    #83775
    laura-palmieri
    Participant

    I understand what your saying Misty. I actually was in a similar situation to you Natty. In my case I looked more into the scholarship money that I was getting instead of the technique and sometimes I wished I would not have done that. There are things that I learned and benefited from but at the back of my mind I always felt that I would have gone further if I stuck to the technique I originally was taught before I went to University. But everyone is different.. You can try it out for a semester or year and if you feel things are not going right leave and go to another school that teaches the Salzedo technique. It’s not worth staying for 4 years and looking back with certain regrets. You can always find teachers who have a French technique background and teach in Masterclasses or privately to give you pointers here and there.

    #83776
    unknown-user
    Participant

    Hi Misty, Thank you for all your thoughtful ideas. Yes, I think that you might be right that its mainly that I really loved this teacher more than the technique. She lives in france and was on a concert tour so I don’t think I can go to her. I’d love to though coz she is just amazing! My teacher thinks that its also kind of like I’m awe struck with her and that the excitement of it all kind of cut through the technical problems that I’ve been struggling with for ages. she warned me that it can be different going to someone every single week and yes, I’m gonna go to the two different Unis and have lesson from each teacher.

    Thank you for giving me some practical advice about what to think about when I have some lessons and the environment at the Uni.

    #83777
    unknown-user
    Participant

    I meant to say that I’m going to have lessons (with an “s”) from each teacher. I will have at least six lessons from each teacher and I’m going to try and go at a time when they have student performances if that can work. i will try and meet the other students.

    #83778
    unknown-user
    Participant

    I’m so glad that you posted! Thank you for telling me your story! Thanks for mentioning about scholarship money. it is really hard to not think about that. If I go to the Uni with the french teacher, then I will get a full scholarship and my family sure like that idea! I’m trying to not let that effect my decision too much but it sure is hard for it not to. But I don’t want to make the wrong decision and

    #83779

    There are schools offering Salzedo training with full scholarships, too, so don’t let money be the issue.

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