Students come to take lessons with me and I ask them to play something for me. To read something. And they say: I don’t know how it goes. Sadly, these kids play in bands that perform concerts but they cannot read rhythms or notes without someone telling them or showing them “this is how it goes.” When that concert is over, these kids have very few more skills to apply to the new music for the next performance. So more time is wasted teaching them how the new music goes. When really, a stepwise approach to teaching skills and selecting music that is appropriate for and slightly higher than their ability level.
What if someone spent more time teaching students to ways to read rhythms and notes and how music works, how the piece is organized. And what if you taught them to hear the sounds in their head as they read them. And what if you ask them to visualize a piano keyboard to give them a reference as to high and low and spacing of intervals. Then you would have students who could learn independently. You would have students who could learn music faster and advance to more artistic levels of playing. You would have more rehearsal time! And the kids are the winners!
Why Can’t You Read?
Maybe your music teacher did not take the time necessary to teach you the, in a way that you understand. And secondly, maybe you are playing music that is too far above your ability level at this point in your playing.
The solution:
I help my students bridge those gaps in their musical learning. In my private studio lessons and in my school classroom, I take time to help my students gain the musical skills to be independent learners. Not just get ready for the test, performance or audition.
Contact me. I can help you be more successful and have more fun.
Larry Shudra Music 