<p>Somehow I grew up in a family where my only luxury was music lessons, so was easy to prioritize for me. Well, not so easy, as it is quite expensive these days, and I’m sure my house would look better kept up, had I spend money in other ways. And we never have gotten into the bigger money instruments that would be more appropriate to their playing level right now. </p>
<p>It was pre middle school when it was difficult to keep the kids practicing. They started at an early age, and it was before the other kids were playing when it was difficult. By middle school they were playing well, and getting some peer recognition for being good.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to say that at the slightest equivocation parents should take music away from their kids. But I have seen situations (many times) where piano practice becomes such an issue within a household, and the balkiness of the child enters the “hatred of music” realm, that it is better to give it a rest.</p>
<p>Another issue is the quality of practice as well. There was a time in my own life (middle school, what do you know?) where I decided that I wasn’t going to cooperate with my piano teacher. My mom made me practice daily, but she wasn’t privy to what I was and wasn’t supposed to be working on. I humored her by “practicing”, but I was not applying myself in the least. Kind of like a student who is trying to read a book they can’t get into, and listlessly stares at page after page, not really absorbing the material. I hated the stuff my teacher was giving me, and she was such a perfectionist that I’d work on the same piece forever! So finally my mom said, “give it a rest.”</p>
<p>I spent a year going it alone. During that time, I was like a piano playing demon. I bought every “pop” book I could get my hands on. I played for hours. My best friend and I would learn duets and play them together. I would borrow her books and she mine. I didn’t improve much technically during that time, but my sightreading skills went through the roof. The following year, 9th grade, the choral director heard me play during a lunch period and asked me to be the accompanist, and the rest was history. He required that I start taking lessons again (which I did with another teacher), participate in piano competitions, and play solos at every choral concert.</p>
<p>I don’t really know what the moral of the story is other than if a student really is interested in music, it shouldn’t take much more than gentle persuasion to get them over the humps. Anything more than that is beating the horse.</p>
<p>doubleplay: I agree with you. In my case DS needed me to say, “It’s time to practice,” practically every day. But he always went willingly and told me he enjoyed practicing. I offered to stop “nudging” him, but he asked me to continue. Since I was helping him realize his owbn goal I didn’t mind.</p>
<p>However, I never could interest him in any sport. Finally had to quit tennis lessons though he progressed nicely and keep quiet about track, although he’s fast. It was a definite NO there. Now he’s going to the LAC sport capital. LOL. Says he’s going to learn skiing and fencing.</p>
<p>I still prod and remind to practice. And wish I had someone to say the same to me, as I play a variety of instruments that deserve some practice time. Practice is not always fun, the Suzuki analogy is that it is like brushing your teeth, something you do every day. And then there are the wonderful times where everything comes together, and nothing else beats that experience. </p>
<p>Doubleplay, and allmusic, yours is the sort of story to warm a musican parents’ heart. Finding your own way, in your own way and excelling. </p>
<p>I also cringe when I hear of the practice battles that go on in some houses. </p>
<p>My own mother never bothered me about practice, and I was irregular as a child in my practice, as I still am in my musical efforts. However she never threatened me with quitting for irregular practice, as many parents do, and I always progressed in my lessons. I have taken that example to heart with my kids, and their practice has been extremely irregular and brief at times, as they have many interests, and their dad for years was not supportive. Again, they progressed, and their teacher was tolerant, though probably less thrilled with us than some. Not the path to Julliard, but may be the path to a lifetime of playing in a community orchestra as well as other broadening experiences. When one daughter was on a Rotary year abroad, her musical lessons were her only extra curricular, as she could take lessons regardless of language.</p>
<p>Corranged, Princeton University offers a “certificate” in Music Performance. While Princeton does not allow students to double major, they have a wide range of certificates in almost all of the “majorable” academic subjects (ranging from Art History to Computer Science to some cert.-only subjects like Finance and Music Performance) that function as the equivalent of a “minor” at other schools.</p>