Confession of music teacher, or about 'Doubting Thomas'

[musicrebel4u]

I'm glad of that and Happy Birthday Hellene !!

I want to thank you for having understood so well the problem with piano education and the struggles of student; it shows your amazing sensitivity, empathy but also that all your life you've always cared for others ... this is beautiful!

For having worked on your own you have a created a wonderful system and I'm glad newspaper and television are giving you the attention you deserve.

Keep laughing! It's beautiful when you laugh, it reminds me that piano teacher doesn't have to be serious disciplinarian who call you "impertinent brat" if you do laugh and try to find some joy in what you do.

Looking forwards for more videos on Youtube

Happy birthday again and good luck with everything!
Danny

Dear Danny,

For almost 7 years I felt like an outcast. In my classroom I saw happiness of my students, amazing results. I was writing thousands of letters to music educators with no answer. Now the system is getting adapted in different countries, my articles and books are getting published in different languages.

In the USA people love movies about dreams comes true, about 'Cinderella's' stories. I think, my story is very outstanding: for more then 30 years I had a goal: to make music education available for all. I had to study, immigrate and work endless hours to make it happen. More and more volunteers joining us with support and encouragement.

Your support is also very important to me. Thank you!   

PS. We try to put on youtube as many videos as we can, when we have spare time.

[johnk]

You're looking good Hellene!

[thierry13]

You're looking good Hellene!

That's apparently all she has ...

[musicrebel4u]

That's apparently all she has ...

Remarcable comment for the title of this topic! 

[thierry13]

Musicrebel, there is only one secret to music. It's not having a stupid b*tch behind you trying to trick your mind to make you think you're good. It's not being able to read stupid useless and limiting (finally unmusical) music notations. It's talent, both for the teacher and the student. If the teacher has talent at the instrument and is a good communicator, and if the student has talent at playing. musicrebel4u, I didn't hear one single of your students play music. They were pushing down buttons meaninglessly, and that's all you are going to teach untalented people to do. I mean you can't even get them to have a good technique this way, you are simply learning them WICH keys to press, you can't even teach them HOW to press them down. Your whole teaching is pointless and, seriously, poor students for the false hopes ...

[musicrebel4u]

Musicrebel, there is only one secret to music. It's not having a stupid b*tch behind you trying to trick your mind to make you think you're good. It's not being able to read stupid useless and limiting (finally unmusical) music notations. It's talent, both for the teacher and the student. If the teacher has talent at the instrument and is a good communicator, and if the student has talent at playing. musicrebel4u, I didn't hear one single of your students play music. They were pushing down buttons meaninglessly, and that's all you are going to teach untalented people to do. I mean you can't even get them to have a good technique this way, you are simply learning them WICH keys to press, you can't even teach them HOW to press them down. Your whole teaching is pointless and, seriously, poor students for the false hopes ...

Thierry13, watch your language, pls. Otherwise you are going to be ignored.

Now explain to me, what the different formats of notation have to do with performance of students?

You think, pictures in books can spoil students' articulation?

You remind me of the farmers of the end of 19th century. They sabotaged tractors believing that the grain would smell gasoline. 

Or you think that only talented and gifted actors have rights to read books, because they can do it artistically?

(I am not saying anything in defense of my students deliberately, because this is pointless argument)

[thierry13]

Thierry13, watch your language, pls. Otherwise you are going to be ignored.

Now explain to me, what the different formats of notation have to do with performance of students?

You think, pictures in books can spoil students' articulation?

You remind me of the farmers of the end of 19th century. They sabotaged tractors believing that the grain would smell gasoline. 

Or you think that only talented and gifted actors have rights to read books, because they can do it artistically?

(I am not saying anything in defense of my students deliberately, because this is pointless argument)

For the notation, I was reffering to johnk's music notation. If you think technique is about articulation, poor students again. Anyways in every single videos your students play with very high fingers and in a very harmful way. I would be curious to hear any of your students play average difficulty pieces, or things that would require a minimum of technique. We are agreeing here that none of your show-off videos showed any kind of technique or whatever : they were pressing down the keys in the worst and most harmful possible way. For your analogy of books and actors, I sure do not think acting has anything to do with appreciating litterature. And not all books are meant to be great litterature, some are simply great storys (harry potter, it's not really great litterature, but those books are awesome!). Anyways back on topic, I would be curious to see how you would go teaching a chopin etude to one of your students. Cause of course if you can make them learn how to play hanon #1 in 15 minutes (wich you visibly can not do, proved by your talk-show: hanon is a technical exercise, so the goal is to play it with good technique, not to learn wich keys to press, duh) you for sure can learn them how to play the easiest chopin etudes after one year, at that rate ! I would be curious to hear that, because of course with your amazing and long experience has a teacher, you must have very advanced and talented students with lots of years of experience now ! Go ahead, prove me wrong, post a video of you teaching chopin etudes at some 10 years old or whatever, if you are so good at pedagogy (we have seen lots of 10 years old play chopin etudes very clearly with great technique). I will then be happy to congratulate you on your amazing mastery at pedagogy.

[Petter]

You miss the point completely. Whats wrong with some harmless fun when your a child? Are you aware of the average concentration level of most 3 year olds? (or even 20 year olds for that matter). These kids seem focused to me. I dont see how this sort of stimulance for a kid could be harmful in any way.

[musicrebel4u]

For the notation, I was reffering to johnk's music notation. If you think technique is about articulation, poor students again. Anyways in every single videos your students play with very high fingers and in a very harmful way. I would be curious to hear any of your students play average difficulty pieces, or things that would require a minimum of technique. We are agreeing here that none of your show-off videos showed any kind of technique or whatever : they were pressing down the keys in the worst and most harmful possible way. For your analogy of books and actors, I sure do not think acting has anything to do with appreciating litterature. And not all books are meant to be great litterature, some are simply great storys (harry potter, it's not really great litterature, but those books are awesome!). Anyways back on topic, I would be curious to see how you would go teaching a chopin etude to one of your students. Cause of course if you can make them learn how to play hanon #1 in 15 minutes (wich you visibly can not do, proved by your talk-show: hanon is a technical exercise, so the goal is to play it with good technique, not to learn wich keys to press, duh) you for sure can learn them how to play the easiest chopin etudes after one year, at that rate ! I would be curious to hear that, because of course with your amazing and long experience has a teacher, you must have very advanced and talented students with lots of years of experience now ! Go ahead, prove me wrong, post a video of you teaching chopin etudes at some 10 years old or whatever, if you are so good at pedagogy (we have seen lots of 10 years old play chopin etudes very clearly with great technique). I will then be happy to congratulate you on your amazing mastery at pedagogy.

Did you watch all my videos? There are already 63 or so.

os?user=lenkaolenka&p=r

And yes, after 30 years of teaching I already have several winners of competition, some of my students are professors in different universities, colleges and music schools.

But my primer goal to make music literacy part of everybody's life and for my video recording I chose average students, because I don't like the whole idea to show 'winning horses' for my personal glorification.

[thierry13]

You miss the point completely. Whats wrong with some harmless fun when your a child? Are you aware of the average concentration level of most 3 year olds? (or even 20 year olds for that matter). These kids seem focused to me. I dont see how this sort of stimulance for a kid could be harmful in any way.

You are missing the point and abusing music.

[Petter]

Better then abusing drugs if you ask me.

[wotgoplunk]

Better then abusing drugs if you ask me.

Playing classical music from an early age = No drug abuse? 

[thierry13]

Better then abusing drugs if you ask me.

Better for you, worse for the music.

[Petter]

Better for you, worse for the music.

Im picturing this scenario when I die and meet our maker in shape of Liszt.

"AHA! Guilty of abusing music. I sentence you to an eternity of enduring all the pain and suffering inadequate students have felt while trying to play La Campanella!!"

[musicrebel4u]

Im picturing this scenario when I die and meet our maker in shape of Liszt.

"AHA! Guilty of abusing music. I sentence you to an eternity of enduring all the pain and suffering inadequate students have felt while trying to play La Campanella!!"

[thierry13]

Im picturing this scenario when I die and meet our maker in shape of Liszt.

"AHA! Guilty of abusing music. I sentence you to an eternity of enduring all the pain and suffering inadequate students have felt while trying to play La Campanella!!"

Your irony is pointless. The worse is that musicrebel even found it funny, just for the sake of supporting somebody who tries to make fun of those who proved her wrong.

[Petter]

Your irony is pointless. The worse is that musicrebel even found it funny, just for the sake of supporting somebody who tries to make fun of those who proved her wrong.

Eeeeh I dont think you proved anything except your stubbornly incapacitiy of thinking outside the box. Again.

And while I don´t agree wholeheartedly with Musicrebel I still have respect for someone who puts their devotion into something they think is right and achieves something else then insolent insults.

[musicrebel4u]

Your irony is pointless. The worse is that musicrebel even found it funny, just for the sake of supporting somebody who tries to make fun of those who proved her wrong.

I think, you taking this too emotionally.
I gave more then enough written and video information for you to learn about something new.
If you really consern about music and music educatiom, try to process the info and stay cool. Who knows, may be you'll find something useful for yourself.
This forum is for sharing new ideas, isn't it?

[wotgoplunk]

I think, you taking this too emotionally.
I gave more then enough written and video information for you to learn about something new.
If you really consern about music and music educatiom, try to process the info and stay cool. Who knows, may be you'll find something useful for yourself.
This forum is for sharing new ideas, isn't it?

But you need to look at constructive criticism too 

[thierry13]

I think, you taking this too emotionally.
I gave more then enough written and video information for you to learn about something new.
If you really consern about music and music educatiom, try to process the info and stay cool. Who knows, may be you'll find something useful for yourself.
This forum is for sharing new ideas, isn't it?

This forum is for serious musicians, and for sharing good ideas. That's where you do not fit in.

[musicrebel4u]

This forum is for serious musicians, and for sharing good ideas. That's where you do not fit in.

I can't wait to hear about your credentials and ideas!

[musicrebel4u]

But you need to look at constructive criticism too 

Of cause! Why do you think I am here?