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stringfollies · 02-24-2008, 06:34 PM

Outside feedback is good, but it too can mislead. Our son's first violin teacher (who is highly reputed and has many students winning local competitions and going to music schools) told him at 12 that he had everything he needed to go all the way. He had been winning competitions - more for his innate musicality than for technique. He often won playing simpler pieces than the others.

By 14, he had hit a wall. He did not have a good foundation. His first teacher was so excited by him that she skipped a lot of steps to get him into advanced and showy repertoire which he wasn't ready for. We found him another teacher - again one of the best in the area. Her students often win the top high school competitions and many go to music school - almost always at the top level. She too thought him very gifted saying that he had the innate things you can't teach and she could teach him what he didn't have. He backtracked and played a lot of scales and etudes which he badly needed. He improved for a couple of years, but the last year (junior year of hs) he hit a wall again. Her other students were getting it and he wasn't. He grew quite insecure and she suggested the viola (her primary instrument as it hapens). She had a very specific method which was not working for him. Complicated technical stuff just wasn't working.

At the end of last summer, we helped him through a very tough decision about whether to throw in the towel or to continue, but change to a more supportive teacher. We took him to play for a couple of people and everyone thought he could and should do it, but it might not be fast enough for admission this year into a top school. He decided to still try to go for it. While applying to regular college alongside music schools, he changed to a teacher who for him has been a wizard. This teacher (himself a seasoned and very successful performer) has total confidence in my son's ability to get it and is completely flexible about finding ways for him to do so. The results have been astonishing.

He has only gotten into one music school and three colleges so far (we've heard from no others), but the feedback has been very positive. He's not going to be a star next year, but neither is he going to be pulling up the rear any more. He might even decide to stay home another year and study with his wizard.

Some kids have incredible facility and it's obvious. Some have incredible gift and, apparently, that is obvious too. You can't make it without the gift. Everyone says that the technical stuff can be learned, but we weren't sure until now. If your gut tells you that there's something special there, but that something isn't working, make sure that the training is correct for the child. Even the best teachers can't teach every student well.

02-24-2008, 06:34 PM	#46
stringfollies Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: washington, dc Posts: 574	different routes..... Outside feedback is good, but it too can mislead. Our son's first violin teacher (who is highly reputed and has many students winning local competitions and going to music schools) told him at 12 that he had everything he needed to go all the way. He had been winning competitions - more for his innate musicality than for technique. He often won playing simpler pieces than the others. By 14, he had hit a wall. He did not have a good foundation. His first teacher was so excited by him that she skipped a lot of steps to get him into advanced and showy repertoire which he wasn't ready for. We found him another teacher - again one of the best in the area. Her students often win the top high school competitions and many go to music school - almost always at the top level. She too thought him very gifted saying that he had the innate things you can't teach and she could teach him what he didn't have. He backtracked and played a lot of scales and etudes which he badly needed. He improved for a couple of years, but the last year (junior year of hs) he hit a wall again. Her other students were getting it and he wasn't. He grew quite insecure and she suggested the viola (her primary instrument as it hapens). She had a very specific method which was not working for him. Complicated technical stuff just wasn't working. At the end of last summer, we helped him through a very tough decision about whether to throw in the towel or to continue, but change to a more supportive teacher. We took him to play for a couple of people and everyone thought he could and should do it, but it might not be fast enough for admission this year into a top school. He decided to still try to go for it. While applying to regular college alongside music schools, he changed to a teacher who for him has been a wizard. This teacher (himself a seasoned and very successful performer) has total confidence in my son's ability to get it and is completely flexible about finding ways for him to do so. The results have been astonishing. He has only gotten into one music school and three colleges so far (we've heard from no others), but the feedback has been very positive. He's not going to be a star next year, but neither is he going to be pulling up the rear any more. He might even decide to stay home another year and study with his wizard. Some kids have incredible facility and it's obvious. Some have incredible gift and, apparently, that is obvious too. You can't make it without the gift. Everyone says that the technical stuff can be learned, but we weren't sure until now. If your gut tells you that there's something special there, but that something isn't working, make sure that the training is correct for the child. Even the best teachers can't teach every student well.
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