Labyrinth Music Blog
Meditations on Learning and Loving Music
8 Things Music Teachers Wish Parents Knew
Music teachers and parents share an important goal: the education of a young musician. We both want the best outcome for the student, and we get the best results when parent and teacher are on the same page about lessons. Here are eight things that I, on behalf of all music teachers, would want all parents to understand
Sorry, I can’t teach you
Any teacher who claims to be able to teach anything to anyone is either deluded or predatory. That’s why I’m totally unashamed to say that there are some people I can’t teach.
Should you force kids to take music lessons?
It’s not unusual for parents to force kids to take music lessons for various reasons - some good, some less so. Let me tell you the three reasons why I only teach students who participate willingly.
How to practice music without getting any better
Why practice the hard way, when you could spend your time goofing around self-indulgently? Here’s everything you should be doing to make sure your practice sessions get you nowhere.
You have to have a spark
There’s an X factor for becoming a musician, but it’s not natural intuitive ability, talent, or even discipline - it’s curiosity.
Don't let other people determine your limits
Are some people too un-talented to make music? No! No matter what you’ve been told, you don’t lack the capacity to learn to sing or play an instrument. Yet so many of us believe we are incapable of becoming musicians...
11 ways to be a supportive music parent
Do you want to support a young music student in your life, but you’re not sure what to do? Here are 11 ways you can help them.
Difficult student, don’t change
Do “difficult” students resist instruction just to be difficult, or are they responding to their own feelings? Here’s why I’d rather let my piano students learn more slowly than teach them to ignore how they feel.
Singers aren’t real musicians?
It's a myth, but why do people believe it? And what should voice teachers do about it?
My first recital
Every professional musician had a first recital, and today I want to tell you about mine. Spoiler alert: it didn’t go great.
Learning unfamiliar music in lessons
Lots of piano and voice students initially turn up their nose at unfamiliar pieces. Here’s what I say when I ask them to give a new song a chance.
Writing reviews for music teachers
If you’re going to write a review for your teacher, on behalf of all teachers I would like to thank you!! We really appreciate you putting in the time and effort to write informative and helpful reviews. Teaching professionals need your specific, personal, and honest reviews to stay in business. If you follow these guidelines, your teacher and their future clients will thank you.
Do singers need to read music?
Lots of singers learn by ear and feel that that’s enough for them to be a good singer. Why should they put in a lot of work to learn to read music when they can already learn music by listening to it? Don’t get me wrong, I think developing your ear is an essential skill for all singers! But music reading is also immensely useful for singers who take the trouble to learn it.
