Simpedia

Scott J., Australia

I want to share something I’ve been reflecting on as a teacher — not as a criticism of traditional classical training, but as an explanation of why I choose to teach the way I do.

Traditional classical music education has given the world incredible discipline, structure, and musical literacy. It teaches focus, perseverance, and attention to detail — all valuable life skills.

However, when we look honestly at outcomes, only a very small percentage of classically trained students go on to use music in any ongoing way as adults. Fewer still earn income from it — not because the students lack talent, but because the traditional pathway was never designed to support modern musical lives.

Most people don’t want their child to become an exam candidate.

They want them to become a musician — someone who can play, enjoy music, create, perform, and carry it with them for life.

That’s why I teach Simply Music.

Simply Music focuses first on:

• Playing music from the very beginning
• Developing real musicianship, not just note decoding
• Building confidence and enjoyment early
• Keeping students engaged long-term
• Supporting creativity, listening, and understanding — alongside reading

Reading music still matters. Technique still matters. Structure still matters.

The difference is when and how those skills are introduced, so they support the student rather than limit them.
I’ve seen too many capable students leave music thinking “I wasn’t musical”, when in reality they were just taught through a system that didn’t fit how most people actually learn or use music today.

My goal is simple:

To give students skills they’ll still be using in 10, 20, even 50 years — whether that’s for enjoyment, confidence, creativity, or performance.

Different methods serve different purposes.

This one aligns best with how I want my students to experience music.