Repertoire that is too difficult for the student!!!

[unknown-user]

Music Teachers National Association is the professional organization for private music teachers. They have a certification process that requires knowledge of technique, repertoire sequencing, theory, and music history. It may be worthwhile to either colaborate with them or create a similar system for harp certification. The majority of their members are piano teachers, but the organization includes teachers of many different instruments.

The

[Bonnie Shaljean]

I strongly second the suggestion of the Michel & de Maistre CDs, with regard to easier harp repertoire, and can also heartily recommend Susann McDonald & Linda Wood’s series in five volumes titled “Graded Harp Solos”.

[unknown-user]

We need to be careful about repertoire selections, I think, at any age. I think students should learn music by great composers, rather than not-great music by harpists. At my last recital, an intermediate-level student had only this to say to me, “why didn’t you play any ‘harpy’ pieces?” This is the kind of taste that results from a diet of Hasselmans and the like. Besides, I played the Debussy Arabesque, isn’t that kind of “harpy”? The rest of the program was Dussek, Daquin, Handel, Salzedo. There is enough in our literature to avoid trite music. It’s very important to develop a sense of good taste in a student. Some harpy pieces are pretty good, like Hasselmans’ Priere and La Source, but his other pieces I’ve looked at are not very good music.

[unknown-user]

There are also two short pieces by Tournier called Offrande and Priere, I believe, which are not very difficult, and very musical, and I think much more appropriate than Hasselmans’ repertoire; again I don’t hate everything he wrote, but I don’t think it is good training material, except in very small quantity. Also Grandjany has a wonderful Pastorale that is very imaginative and not demanding.

[alexander-rider]

I learnt the Pastorale; its beautiful and great for teaching changes in time signatures! Its a great ” recital piece” for lever harps too, as there are no accidentals.

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

I must admit, there have been occasions when a student has really wanted to learn a piece

that was too hard for them, and I have acquiesced. I always regret it! But, to be fair,

sometimes it is hard to judge what a student is capable of. When I have suggested

dropping the piece and coming back to it at a later date, sometimes the student insists

that they can do it if I just give them more time. I resolve in future to be more assertive,

because it is so counter-productive to let the student perform something they can’t play

well. Performing should not be an ordeal.

[unknown-user]

I fully agree with Elizabeth.

[carl-swanson]

I haven’t been on here in months, and I have just read with some amusement

some of the responses.

[Author]

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