Simpedia

Neil Moore

Congratulations Jenny, but what didn’t get mentioned is the fact that even though Ballade is a 3rd Grade Piece on the AMEB Exam Syllabus, the average AMEB 3rd Grade student usually has a maximum of about 5 or 6 pieces that they can play, and only as long as they have the written music in front of them!!

What AMEB Judges do not recognize, usually because they just haven’t been informed of it and are yet to have had adequate experience with well-taught, Simply Music students, is the added reality of the fact that our typical, average Simply Music student, after an equivalent period of time, say 3 years of Lessons, has probably 50 or 60 Playlist pieces that are carried inside of them, ready to be played anywhere, at any time, on any keyboard – and with absolutely no need for written music of any kind!!

In addition, our average student, has first-hand, broad-based experience with classical, contemporary, gospel, blues, Jazz and Lead Sheets, Arrangements and ballads etc., as well as a massive Accompaniment skill that profoundly adds depth, breadth, variety and knowledge to their experience – let alone what all of this contributes to creating a culture of students that are immersed in an environment that is designed to nurture and foster the innate, unique depth and breadth of their natural musicianship.

Jenny S., Australia

Thanks Neil – We also should note that 3rd Grade AMEB takes at least 4 years, often 5 to achieve – and as you stated, students can usually only play 4 or 5 pieces, as long as they have the written music, and usually, can play none without written music.

Whitney M., Iowa

I wondered if anyone has students who compete. I have had 2 parents mention the idea in the last week and am not sure yet how I’d proceed. I can see it being more feasible to prepare in a private lesson, and I teach in groups.

In case it would help, this is the competition/(festival)? in question:

Ankeny pianofest

Beth S., Tennessee

I had a student compete just last week in a local, school competition that works its way up to the state level. She played a medley of Ode to Joy, Minuet in G, and Fur Elise (with the 9 E’s and the 2 3’s) with a couple of measures in between each song that we made up in order to create a smooth transition. She is 10 years old, in 4th grade, and has a beautiful, elegant way of playing. According to the rules of the competition, she had to have the actual music, three copies, etc. So I wrote out the add-on, transition parts, placing each one behind a copy of the SM version of each song (from the Music Book). On the day of the competition, the student had to play, not only for the panel of judges, but also for an audience as well. Her mother said she played absolutely beautifully and flawless and that afterward, everyone came up to her commenting on her daughter’s lovely performance. So, the end result? She was disqualified. All for lack of having the actual music (straight from Bach and Beethoven themselves), and I am still fuming. Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees. The actual Fur Elise was played by a 12th grader, so next year, when she has the whole thing learned, we’ll knock their socks off.

Cheryl G., Pennsylvania

In the judged piano ‘events’ that I’m familiar with, they do not allow arrangements of actual piano pieces such as Minuet or Fur Elise, and a student would also be disqualified for not having the actual music to hand to the judges. The judges have to be able to look at the score while the student is playing. I think asking for the score is a reasonable request for any judged event. It’s a shame the rules were not made clear beforehand and that your student was disqualified as a result.

Maybe you can make up your own award or participation certificate for your student if she didn’t get anything from the school. I think she would like that. I do something similar for recitals. I print it on some fancy paper and it looks very nice.

Beth S., Tennessee

I think what was disturbing to me about this was the mindset that there’s only one way to do a thing. The judges were obviously traditional teachers who had never encountered this before (the other competitors brought in music that was in a “proper” book with “proper” pieces of which they had learned the notes). Of course we had the actual music she was playing with numbered measures, etc., but because it was in pieces (meaning I had to handwrite the transition parts), they didn’t like it, despite the fact that it was accurate, was played well and far ahead of peers, and despite the letter I sent along explaining her method of learning. They just didn’t understand, which is okay, but I think it all just speaks of the traditional way which prohibits being outside the box a little. Hopefully, as SM grows, time will cure that sort of thinking.

Gordon Harvey, Australia

Various of our teachers have had students enter competitions, and often with significant success. However, these competitions are usually focused on aspects of music and playing that are at the opposite end of the spectrum to the area we’re exploring. You can see it in the requirements of this particular event (by the way, they don’t use the word “competition”). Scanning through its website, I see entrants are required to play scales and cadences, and are expected to sight-read. Also, although being required to “perform two pieces in contrasting styles” sounds promising, at least one is required to be chosen from classical repertoire. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with an emphasis on classical music, or anything that encourages excellence, but it’s easy to see that the assumptions behind the eligibility requirements come from a more traditional model.

The requirement for playing of scales and cadences would eliminate all but the most advanced Simply Music students, and, if entrants are really sight-reading, our students may never be able to enter, because we make it clear that sight-reading is not an aim of our program.

These issues could raise concerns from some students who might think we’re somehow inadequate because we might take years to teach concepts that, in this event, are expected even from elementary students. Of course, we know that we simply have our attention elsewhere, on experiencing the broad sweep of what’s possible in music for everyday people, giving them a taste of a genuine variety of music, without an emphasis on pieces from the Western classical tradition, in fact not just a variety of pre-written piano pieces, but also composition, improvisation, accompaniment and more. So students firstly need to understand that these events are often geared towards people with different aspirations, probably involving serious concert-level performance, or at least people who assume preparation for concert-level performance is an essential part of learning an instrument.

Students also need to be regularly reminded of what we’re working towards at SM, and should regularly check this against their own expectations. If a student is sure that performing at an event like this is what they want, I’d have to tell them I couldn’t help. I wouldn’t depart from the SM program for a purpose I don’t support. It’s a different world, and, although it’s admirable and valuable for an ambitious student to tackle a more ‘serious’ musical challenge, it’s just not what we do. Our SM concerts provide a similar, but less threatening and more broadly useful function. If that’s not good enough, perhaps SM isn’t the right fit for that student. Obviously for us, that’s unfortunate, but you can understand someone relying on the paradigm that’s dominated music learning for generations.

Between these two extremes there are plenty of other less formal concerts, eisteddfods and community events that a SM student could well contribute to and benefit from. It won’t be appropriate for every student, but if I think it’s pretty certain to end up as a personal win for the student, and that it wouldn’t get in the way of their progress with regular SM activities, and if I’m sure (perhaps after a conversation with the organisers) it’s reasonably aligned with our goals, I might give the student the green light. A useful guide to the appropriateness of an event would be: does the student have a strong chance of performing well by preparing just the way they would for an SM concert? That is, a similar choice of song and similar amount of preparation. Have a look in the FAQ’s and Transcript Library for more information on this topic.

Carol P., Michigan

I’m not sure about what happens in other states, but in Michigan we have State wide events called “Solo and Ensemble Festival”. People from grades 7 through 12 may participate, and the events are sponsored and adjudicated by the MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association) or the MSVMA (Michigan School Vocal Music Association). Young pianists would compete through the MSBOA. These associations prepare lists of accepted works that can be learned and performed by students. The students perform and are given a rating. Students with higher ratings can move on to the next level which is the State level Solo and Ensemble Festivals.

I am currently involved mostly with the MSVMA as an accompanist. I have found the people involved, teachers, organizers and adjudicators to be sincere, helpful and kind. They are also functioning within the rules that have been set down for them and which, indeed, as an organization they have set down for themselves. They don’t know about Simply Music. Really, Simply Music is a revolution in the way that music is taught and even thought about.

We can’t really expect people to understand the Simply Music method if they have never heard of it or had it explained to them. It’s not within the “rules” that they have been taught about. I totally understand this. I was a member of that “establishment”.

It has been my experience, that when I talk to these teachers and adjudicators, they are very open and willing to hear what I am saying, especially the vocal people. I remember telling one vocal music teach that the main goal of SM was to give people the ability to have music as a companion in their lives for the rest of their lives. She responded that that was the reason we all teach music. It was a more enlightened response than I was expecting, frankly, and it gave me a great deal of hope.

So, I just talk. At the lunch break when all the teachers, adjudicators and organizers were gathered in one room I started casual talking to the people at my table about this piano method that I’m teaching. Some of them took the information down and wrote down the website. I don’t expect that things will change overnight, but I know that some of the people in the “establishment” are as frustrated as I used to be and are open to new ideas. I’m guessing that anger and hostility won’t get their attention as easily as excitement and enthusiasm. Sometimes I have to remind myself about that.

I think that we are involved in a revolution; a musical revolution. Some people will understand right away and some won’t. I think that all we can do is keep moving ahead with good humor and belief in the method and what we are doing while we try to educate others and get them interested in a new way of doing things. It beats the alternative.

Cindy B., Illinois

One of the things I always mention at some point is that a traditionally trained student is SKILLFUL, while a Simply Music trained student is MUSICAL.. scales, sightreading, cadences, music reading – are all skills and are the only way the traditional world can measure the success of the lessons, since they are focused on skills rather than musicality

Jay L., Australia

I have had some great experiences with putting students in Eisteddfods in Kalgoorlie Western Australia. I usually encourage all my students, as many as wish to, to be in involved. I never pressure anyone into it, it’s just available and encouraged. I tell them it’s a little bit scary, and talk about the butterflies in their tummy etc. I’ve seen kids practice like crazy for it, and bored students come to life for it. Not to mention we have won lots of first prizes and even 2 yrs running we won the trophy for the best student of all the grade 3’s and under. That was out of 40 to 50 competitors. I would go so far as saying we put simply music on the map!

We’ve done it for 3 yrs now and I have approx 20 students every yr. The first yr I had a student in every section win a first. Some sections because there was so many competitors, they awarded more than one first. Whatever their favourite 2 (different types of) songs are, is what they play. We’ve probably heard most of the playlist up to about level 7. My son entered the composition section the last 2 yrs with pieces he had written himself. One adjudicator was so impressed and raved on about the complexity of the song etc, a lot of it went way over my head! He was just improvising blues. We don’t live in a main city so perhaps they’re a bit lenient here? I supply the music and attach a note saying the student doesn’t read, and note were they add their own variations. Ie Honey dew, they always play it as per how we teach them, (chords) then they do their own bit they have made up, and maybe finish with the chords again possibly up an octave. I attach a note to the music sheet explaining that. So even though there might be a few honey dews, they are all different.

There were 3 other simply music teachers here who entered their students last year as well. Unfortunately I was overseas for the competition last yr, but I know over all it was a good thing. As I said though, I major on the fun of it and the excitement of getting all dressed up and performing for an audience in the art centre. We’ve even hired the room the week before and made a concert for family and friends out of a practice run. Of-course we let the local news paper know that all these budding artists are performing and they love getting their photo’s in the paper. It’s great free publicity too! I hope anyone who tries it has as much fun as we do.

I think winning or not largely depends on the adjudicator, and assure my kids that there can only be one winner, but go in it for the fun of it! Get dressed up, make a big deal of it, and just have fun, enjoy the experience, give Mum and Dad a run for their money. As for the student who was disqualified in Chattanooga, TN I would be furious too! I believe they will have to eat their words at some stage, and I’d let all the encouragement that came from all the other listeners at the competition be the focus.

Ginny W., Australia

Personally, although I was entered in eisteddfod type contests as child learning traditionally, I have only ever engaged with anything competitive as an SM teacher in the context of students auditioning for high school music programs, for which I have both written references and ‘primed’ them on a chosen piece- usually after a discussion about which one we both feel they are most confident to play. Typically, the feedback has been that they knocked the socks off the selection panel. I don’t believe I would actively encourage students to knowingly entire a hostile musical environment, since it seems to me that this may undermine whatever success they have experienced in the more validating environment of their SM lessons. I do wonder about how the ‘gap’ between the traditional world ‘out there’ and SM may be bridged- perhaps the ‘play offs’ that someone suggested are an ideal way of meeting the need for ‘friendly competition’ without all the disappointment of disqualification etc.

It occurred to me after reading others’ reponses (Jay and Cindy especially) that there is more than one culture of traditional music, or perhaps another way of saying this is that there may be degrees of formality and tradition. Perhaps Kalgoorlie (Jay’s experience) is less steeped in a traditional, elitist music ‘clique’? Perhaps the judges – like many ordinary people who get to hear the SM pieces- simply responded to what they heard as being good? I imagine it is more challenging for those teachers who live in places where the more elitist cultures prevail, especially where parents and students believe that participation in comps and eisteddfods- which strikes me a one of the many traditions of those cultures- are a good thing.

I believe it is important not to underestimate the extent to which the culture at large has been deeply ‘indoctrinated’ with a particular way of thinking about music and to stay mindful of the fact that there are many many people out there who have invested years of their life in the traditional reading-based model and will inevitably cling to what they know. Given that even students with a growing track record of success as SM students have been known to question delaying reading, it seems inevitable to me that people who have been minimally exposed to what is effectively a new paradigm, the intention and methodology behind SM being so revolutionary, certainly will. Perhaps the only way around this is to keep beavering away at promoting and growing Simply Music.

Bernadette A., California

Just thought I’d share my personal experiences about competition.

Coming to Simply Music as a naive adult, I did not have much experience in the music or piano industry. So about 3 years ago, I thought it would be fun to have my 7 year old daughter, Abi, enter a competition. I was so proud of her playing and what she had accomplished through Simply Music. I had no idea that there were certain standards in competition that were already set in place. The competition came as a big shock to me as I realized that my daughter did not fit the profile of the typical contestant. Yes, she played impeccably but one of the songs she played was a blues piece, too. All the other kids had chosen classical pieces. Thankfully, she couldn’t tell the distinction in judging and placed 2nd, which was actually the last place in her category. She was just thrilled to receive a trophy (in this particular competition, everybody wins). Although I was happy for her, I was a bit embarassed as her teacher for not understanding all the “rules”.

After having taught SM for 6 years, I still don’t understand the rules but I’m okay with it, afterall I am a non-traditional teacher. I understand, just as Gordon so fluently pointed out, that the direction I am going as an instructor may not lend to competitions. It is my goal to teach students to be musically expressed. I find that the concerts/recitals that I hold each year allow for this kind of musicianship to reveal itself. The atmosphere is light, supportive, pressure free and allows each student to shine. They are accepted no matter where they are in their journey. Recently, I had 37 students performing at my recital. It was a huge success – kids were beaming and parents were proud. I find that this is just a catalyst for more growth and musically expressed piano playing.

So here’s an ironic scenario about competition…last weekend a friend of mine asked me to judge a piano competition. It lasted from 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. There were five other judges – all traditionally trained. They did not know I was “different.” After a couple of hours of listening to classical music that morning (and of course these kids played fabulously) I leaned over to the elderly lady, who was also a judge, next to me and asked her what she thought of the competition. She looked straight at me in the eye and said, “You know, the instructors of these students are horrible.” This took me back abit so I asked her why she said this. She replied, “Look at the way they play, their arms are stiff and there is no freedom in their playing. Their posture is so serious.” At this point, I chuckled a bit and thought of my studio and told her my students played freely. She then proceeded to inquire about my studio and told me of her 9 year old grandson whom she believed would enjoy lessons with the right teacher. I asked her why she had not put her grandson in lessons up to this point and she said, “I don’t want him to experience the same kind of piano playing that I went through as a kid.” Then she asked for my name, number and how to contact me.