Why Not Teach Repertoire That Is Too Difficult?
If you’ve read other posts on my blog (like this one about Beethoven Sonatas)
or watched many of my YouTube videos (like this one about Für Elise),
then you know that I’m passionate about teaching appropriately-leveled repertoire to each student.
But why? Why shouldn’t we let our students learn pieces by ear that are above their reading or comprehension level? Pieces that might be motivating because they are standards in the piano repertoire, but that might be too hard for our student to read, understand, or handle technically?
I have three main reasons that I tend to shy away from this type of teaching:
The first is because, while we as teachers often assume that harder, recognizable repertoire is motivating for students, I have frequently seen the opposite play out. Students who try to play something above their level often become frustrated after learning the first few lines. They realize just how much work is involved in tackling a difficult piece and become frustrated that they don’t have more ability. They fizzle out and don’t gain transferable skills from the experience.
My second concern is technical. Any athletic trainer will advise a slow progression of activities before undertaking a difficult task such as running a marathon. Our bodies need time to incrementally learn physical skills or we can easily hurt ourselves. The same is true at the piano. When a student undertakes to learn a piece for which he has not been technically prepared over the course of months or years, he can easily strain or build up tension that could otherwise be avoided. Children and teens often do not feel this tension (ah, the bliss of youth!), and by the time they have developed harmful habits, it is very difficult for a teacher to help them “undo” said habits.
My third concern is that this type of learning is terribly limiting. Very few musical traditions these days rely entirely on learning by ear or by rote. Learning by ear or rote is simply one tool in a musician’s toolbox. I use my ear on a daily basis. However, sight-playing, frankly, is my most marketable skill. And there are a whole host of other practical musical skills that I hope to develop in my students so that they can be functional musicians when they leave my studio.
For recreational students, such as adults or older teens nearing the end of their pre-college years, this may not be a concern. They may simply want to play beautiful music for the purposes of enjoyment and stress-relief. However, with children or younger teens, we really cannot predict what their musical futures hold. When we allow students to limit themselves to only learning in one way, without developing other skills, we are limiting them from the benefits of developing other skill sets that they might find they need or want to use years in the future. Like any good parent who encourages their child to eat a healthy, balanced, and diverse diet, it is our duty as teachers to include a healthy, balanced, and diverse diet of musical experiences for our students.
So, how do we decide if a piece is in fact too difficult for any given student?
Enter your information below to download my Repertoire Difficulty Worksheet!
Let me know your thoughts on this topic, or what your experiences have been when assigning difficult pieces to your students. When has it been a positive experience? What have you learned from negative experiences?
