BANG! A thunderous scale rushed up the piano keyboard and back down again. It was the usual early morning wake-up call. For the next two hours, the family would be subjected to the tempestuous sounds of an advanced piano student preparing for an exam. After breakfast, a second advanced student would practice for another hour or so. And that was only the morning. The afternoon would bring another hour of crashing scales followed by a second hour of intensive practice on some fiendishly difficult piece of classical music. That was one day down – only five more to go in the week! Surely having an athlete training for the Olympics would be easier than that.
Surviving Music Practice: Long Term Vision Required
Enduring music practice is not for the faint-hearted, especially when there is an advanced student in the family or the family home is too small to accommodate the needs of everyone. Try the following tips to help you stay sane!
- Remember that you are investing in your child’s future. Research shows that young people who learn to play a musical instrument have better social skills and enjoy more opportunities and greater confidence. They are also more likely to do well at school, have greater powers of concentration and go on to university or other tertiary education.
- Set practice times for the same time each day. Then try to plan your routine so that you are doing something else away from the practice area.
- If possible, have a day each week when no practice takes place. Not only will you benefit, your student musician will do better after a rest day.
- Surviving music practice is about compromise. If you are a little weary of it all, remember that it’s merely a phase of life. Nothing lasts forever and the season of compromise is no exception.
- Your student’s efforts are important to him or her – get involved. When you are interested, surviving music practice is easier and more enjoyable for you and your student. Ask questions and pay compliments when your child reaches goals and achieves milestones.
- Be specific in your praise – find specific ways to compliment your child. When you understand what your child is doing and you are excited about it, surviving music practice is easier. Specific praise that targets specific achievements is a win for both of you. Your child will respond to your encouragement and you will have a more positive mindset.
The Experts Say…
In recent years the ageing population has increased. The large post-war Baby Boomer group has reached retirement age, medical advances mean people are living longer, and younger people are having fewer children and waiting till they are older to have them. All of these factors mean that seniors now form a significant part of the population. And along with an ageing population comes an increase in cognitive illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
In response, researchers have been studying ways to prevent or reverse age-related cognitive decline. Several studies looked at the benefits experienced by seniors who play or are learning to play a musical instrument.
Researchers found that people who learn to play an instrument when they are young can expect a lifetime of benefits. These include improved concentration and motor skills, and improved memory and comprehension. Playing a musical instrument creates new pathways in the brain that remain active in other areas of life.
Researchers also found that both children and seniors who play a musical instrument have less depression and better overall psychological and physical health. They enjoy greater social opportunities and are more likely to be confident.
Surviving Music Practice: Yes, You Can!
So on the days when you wonder if it’s all worth it, remind yourself that you are investing in your child’s future and that the benefits will last a lifetime. It will be worth it!
References:
Click to access neu-25-3-378.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3814522/
http://time.com/3634995/study-kids-engaged-music-class-for-benefits-northwestern/
http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing-an-instrument-benefits-your-brain-anita-collins