Polyphony. (Professional Resources).

Q: Should teachers assign piano literature based on hand size?

A: Hand size with respect to performing piano literature is an issue affecting a large percentage of all pianists, especially young children whose performance ability may increase faster than their hands grow. Teachers are obligated to consider a student's hand size when assigning literature. Once a hand has been injured from stretching too far, too long or in the wrong ways, it often is never the same again. The issue of physical comfort at the keyboard and the presence of too many and too wide stretches are issues that always need to be addressed.

One way to alleviate some potential problems is to omit specific notes extending beyond the student's hand span. If the integrity of the composition cannot be maintained with the sparsely omitted notes, the piece probably should not be taught at this point. A better solution is to redistribute the spacing in the chord, to move up an octave the notes that make the stretch too wide. Unfortunately, this negates what the composer wrote originally. If possible, having the student gently roll or arpeggiate the large chord can provide an adequate solution to extreme skips in many cases.

A second way to deal with hand-size problems is to search for literature that specifically avoids intervals too large for a student's hand. Piano playing needs to be physically comfortable for the student to want to continue studying and learning subsequent literature. Often, pieces can be assigned to accommodate the student's hand, especially during the early years. There comes a time when it may seem counterproductive for the teacher to limit the student's repertoire if the hand remains proportionately small after the student's ability to play more challenging literature grows.

Teachers should be aware of pianistic feel of the pieces they assign. Equally important, they should watch the student's hand for signs of tension, along with signs that the hand remains stretched and expanded unnaturally. The concept of expansion and contraction of the hand is one that is at the center of piano playing, and yet many students grasp this late in their study--during the high school or even college years, a time after many others may have stopped studying, perhaps because hand tension made it difficult to play. It is important the music feel comfortable under the hand for the student to continue to want to study and for the study to be satisfying.

Q: Should the teacher set a specific weekly goal for practice time? What is reasonable in the busy schedules of children and teenagers in today's world?

A: We all like doing that at which we are most accomplished, that which we feel we do well. For students to want to practice, they need to believe they play well, and they need to play well. This is gained in the weekly piano lesson, as well as through scheduled festivals and recitals, depending on the teacher's preferences. Ultimately, it is up to the teacher to create a series of positive experiences, especially within the lesson. This means perhaps the student will play fewer or more pieces, but the lesson will become meaningful during which time he or she feels rewarded through the experience with the music. Of course, we must set practice goals for students in terms of time spent at the task involved, and we should expect them to achieve them. Our job is to help them want to practice and, yet, we cannot do it for them. While teachers have and should use the option of transferring students whose work is not satisfactory, teachers should be certain to do everything possible to create positive playing experiences in the lessons and that students find their playing rewarding. What is reasonable in terms of time goals? The individual teacher should set this weekly time goal after consultation with other teachers of similar kinds of students, the parents (if the student is a precollege student) and the student.

Q: I have an elementary student who really does not like to count aloud. How long should I continue to have her count aloud?

A: Counting aloud is extremely important since it provides a physical connection to our own internal pulse. Perhaps the student should be told that when he can play the piece comfortably from memory with no unplanned hesitations, then he may not need to count aloud as frequently during the process. Young students studying in method books could be told that when they can play the short piece three times consecutively up to tempo and counting with no note or rhythm mistakes, then they can play it also without counting internally. These students, especially, should be encouraged to sing aloud the words of the pieces in their method books simultaneously with their playing. Even advanced students need to count aloud, in part to help the memory process and the understanding of just where the pulse falls in the measures. Counting aloud is best achieved through diligent and relentless practice to achieve consistency.

The next several questions deal specifically with the teaching of adult piano students within the independent piano studio. Responses are provided by Pamela Pike, an expert on teaching adult students who is on the faculty of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. We would like to thank Pam for sharing her expertise in this area with us.

Q: Why consider teaching adult students if one has taught children primarily in the past?

A: As the twenty-first century unfolds, the demographics of many music studios are changing. In today's society, men and women are blending professional, educational and personal growth activities throughout their adult lives. Thus, educational pursuits, including musical endeavors, are no longer viewed solely as a privilege of youth. Since statistics show adults also are living longer, earning more disposable income, retiring earlier and engaging in leisure activities throughout their adult years, music teachers will find themselves faced with more opportunities to facilitate musical study for adults.

Q: Are the methods for teaching adults different from those for children?

A: "The art and science of helping adults to learn" (Knowles, 1984) is known as andragogy. While most music teachers are familiar with the basic tenants of pedagogy, the principles and assumptions of andragogy take the life experiences, phases of life and personal issues of the adult into account. The teacher also should remain cognizant of individual learning styles, needs and goals of the mature learner.

Much has been written about andragogy in general education circles over the past fifty years. Many of the principles that have been identified by experts in this field can be applied to adults who are studying music. Angragogues stress that an adult's needs and interests should be the central focus of the educator when designing curricula and individual lesson plans.

Q: What are some of the basic andragological principles that can be applied easily to piano or music study?

A: The adult music student needs to be in a partnership with the teacher. The student's accumulation of life and learning experiences will affect how that individual will learn. Teachers should remain cognizant of each student's unique needs and goals, especially as those goals evolve and change. While students will want to be active participants in diagnosing their needs, they also will depend on their teachers to recognize how to tailor lessons and practice plans that will help students achieve their musical goals and minimize frustration. Keeping the lines of communication open will prevent disappointments for both teacher and student, since both parties may assess progress and define success at the keyboard or other musical instrument in very different terms.

Q: What are some of the trends teachers might notice in their adult music students?

A: One of the common trends is adults begin or resume music study because they have increased free time, money and access to an instrument. Undergoing a major life change prior to beginning music study as an adult also is common. Women often put learning on hold while raising families. Most adult students are lifelong learners, have a desire to please their teacher, struggle with how they define their progress and re-evaluate their goals during the course of music study. Many adults benefit from a meaningful struggle and meaningful challenges during the learning process, have a time of day when practice is more productive and benefit from group learning opportunities, including studying duets with their peers.

Q: Describe the typical adult student who may enroll in music lessons in my studio?

A: Every adult student who walks into the music studio will have unique goals, needs, abilities and issues. Listening to adult students discuss their experience of music study can sensitize a teacher in order to identify, interpret, reassess and redefine their students' goals. Below is a synopsis of one adult piano student. Subsequent issues of AMT will contain additional profiles of actual adult students. The student's name has been changed to maintain her anonymity.

Rebecca

Rebecca is a high school graduate who is 62. She was raised in a small town and has lived with her husband in the central United States for her entire adult life. She is retired from a secretarial position she held before her children were born and that she returned to once they had been raised. She could be considered a lifelong learner since she has taken courses for personal enjoyment and professional development throughout her adult life. Since she had always wanted to return to the piano once she had more time, Rebecca began her adult piano studies at a community college, taking piano classes upon retirement. Her only option was to enroll in the piano class for credit, but she found that it was too structured. She ended up missing numerous classes due to traveling and was required both to memorize and perform a certain number of pieces to receive a grade at the end of the semester.

Rebecca currently studies piano privately with an independent teacher, likes the lesson routine and is stimulated by her lessons. She appreciates her teacher's feedback and flexibility. She has found the flexible biweekly lesson schedule she has worked out with her teacher to be much better suited to her active lifestyle than the classes. She also appreciates being able to discuss her musical likes and desires with her private teacher. Rebecca believes her teacher is able to tailor the learning environment to suit her individual needs as an adult student. There also is an important emotional need being met at the lessons, and she even compares going to piano lessons to going to therapy or to church. Lessons have enabled her to appreciate the great pianists and the master composers. She almost always feels good after a piano lesson.

There are important underlying emotional obligations that cause Rebecca to continue with the piano. She believes her mother would be pleased she is taking piano lessons again. Prior to resuming her music study, her husband had expressed displeasure at owning and moving a piano that had not been played for years. Certain pieces also bring back fond memories of her deceased children, and she wants to play that music.

Rebecca prefers to practice in the morning when her body and mind tend to be more alert. Her body aches more later in the day, so she tries to practice early in the day. She has arthritis, but is accommodating that physical challenge at the keyboard. Piano is both physically challenging and mentally stimulating for her and is one way she finds to stay active now that her family has been raised and she is no longer part of the work force.

She expresses a sense of pride about taking lessons and tries to please her teacher at each lesson. She is motivated by the performance opportunities her teacher provides and enjoys the social interaction with her peers.

Rebecca believes she does not have any natural propensity for the piano and recognizes she has to work really hard to learn a piece of music. She often experiences a sense of frustration because of the great deal of work and practice required merely to maintain a piece of music once it has been learned.

REFERENCE

Knowles, M.S. 1984. Andragogy in Action: Applying the Modern Principles of Adult Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

RELATED ARTICLE: Wanted: Teaching Tips

MTNA is launching a new website feature devoted to teaching tips. Please share with us some of your favorite tried-and-true ideas. Send your tips to: MTNA, Atm: Teaching Tips, 441 Vine St., Ste. 505, Cincinnati, OH 45202-2811; fax [phone]; or e-mail to [e-mail].

--Jane Magrath Norman, Oklahoma Jane is internationally known as a pianist, author, clinician, teacher and professor and director of piano pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma.

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