Friday, July 16, 2010
Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel arr: Dan Coates
I currently am taking piano lessons with my children. I have felt strongly that my children need to take piano lessons and become proficient in them. Playing the piano is a requirement in our home. I need to back track and say once they decide that they want to take piano lessons (which they have demonstrated by showing a deep desire over several months) that I will require them to practice daily. Liberty (age 11, almost 12) did not start until this past fall and already she can play easy repertoire. The boys coincidentally all started when they were 8.
Before I started taking piano lessons with them I always requested a recital piece from our piano teacher and I performed one with them. (This goes with my parenting model that I will not require anything of them that I am not willing to also do myself). I also think that it helps that I practice daily with them. This fall I saw some of them struggling a little with desire so in January I started lessons with them. This has helped tremendously in their desire to practice. Practicing the piano is just what we do. They are progressing well and I am pleased with their progress. Some put forth more effort than others, but I continue to feel strongly that they need to pursue the piano. I realize this is a scholarly activity, but sometimes the Spirit trumps the rules you know.
The You Tube video is of the piece and arrangement that I am performing in a couple of weeks at our next recital. I love good music because it fills our soul with glimpses of eternity.
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7 comments:
That was beautiful. Well done!! My girls have started piano and I practice along with them although I'm not actually taking the lessons I and learning along with them and we love it. This has encouraged us greatly. Thank you for playing for us.
I just gave you blog award
http://flowersnplaid.blogspot.com/2010/07/thank-you-our-busy-homeschool.html
Have fun & pass it on!
I think you're wonderful for taking the time to practice and take lessons with your children!
I went back and forth about music lessons until I read in Charlotte Mason book #5 that learning to really love good music is more important than learning to play it. After that it didn't bother me that my ten year old quit the piano after only a few months. She listens to classic music every night when she goes to bed and she complains about the ugly music she hears when we are out in public. That's good enough for me!
My son loves to play but I'm going to wait till he is ready to really practice hard and work for it before I put him back in lessons. For now he plays at Church and just for fun which is also good enough for me.
I hope some day I will get to see him back in lessons. Maybe when I'm finished cleaning out my house and having this baby I will start my violin lessons again and inspire the heck out of everyone!
Nice Job! That is one of my favorite pieces. In fact I am working on the violin part of a 2 violin/piano trio of that very piece. I've played the piano since I was 8, tried flute and guitar and then last summer when my 10dd started violin lessons I got me one too. It has by far been the most challenging instrument for me but I can echo your post that when the kids see us as parents trying something challenging it really helps to motivate and inspire them. It's fun to play duets together too!
Reading your post and the comments above, it seems many of us are inspired by our children's lessons!
I have enquired about lessons for myself but I just don't know what I would do with my children while I'm having my lesson....so for now, I try and practice the pieces my eldest brings home.
I'm like you Deanna - my children are not in scholar phase but I feel like this is a good time to begin lessons anyway. Who cares about the 'rules'! LOL I don't do 'rules' anymore! :-)
Being classically trained as a pianist I am lucky enough to do the teaching to my own children! We have a wonderful time and I start them when they show an interest. By interest, I mean they are sitting down trying to play songs themselves over and over again for months. And begging me to teach them. My younger ones are inspired by my older ones and there is ALWAYS someone playing the piano throughout the day.
My three oldest and I were all playing the violin as well but there is no one who teaches the violin in our small town so we have stagnated on that. There is someone who teaches the harp though and I catch a very longing look in my daughters' eyes when she plays in church.
Absolutely beautiful! :D)
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