I need help

[tsagari]

Hi,
I need advice from experienced teachers for my son.
He is eleven years old and he started formal lessons at the age of six.
His progress was fast compered to the other children of his age.
The problem is this, he has completely lost interest in classical repertoire and at the same time he is very borred to put an effort to play even relatively eayier pieces and pieces that he likes. Also his teacher noticed this, he plays music from the mind than reading it. For example if you take away the score the piece is played much much better than with the score in front of him.
Any suggestions how to deal with this?

[go12_3]

Let your son play without the score, if he has a gift and the ability to play
that way, then let him or he will loose interest totally.  There is nothing wrong
with not reading the score.  I have a student that prefers to play from her mind than
read the score and so my teaching with her will change.  Let your son improvise
and have him listen to some of the members here in Piano Street and their wonderful
improvs.  It will motivate him and keep his interest in playing piano.  Let him enjoy
playing from the mind ,good for him! 

best wishes,

go12_3

[slobone]

I don't see any reason why he can't learn to improvise if he enjoys it. But if he really wants to grow as a musician he needs to conquer the skills involved in reading the music. Unless he was really a child prodigy there are probably plenty of things left for him to learn.

Why don't you compromise, and say if he spends 45 minutes working from the music he can spend 15 improvising or playing by ear? Or some such combination.

[gyzzzmo]

Let him play what he wants, alot of kids have moments (usually around age 11-15) where they lose interest in classical pieces. Better keep him enjoyed with other types of piano pieces than growing him a distaste for the piano by forcing him classical music.
That ages is also the moment where you have to start explaining stuff to kids why theyre doing certain pieces so they can see the use of it, and are more motivated. Like playing Czerny so he can play Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody better

[tsagari]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do not really mind to let him to do whatever he wants. I am only wondering how his teacher can instract him beauce teaching tradition is very classical oriented and I feel that his teacher apart from changing the repertoire, has no idea what to do with him, she is experementing. The patern here is Bach, Czerny, scales apr. and a a piece. If  you do not fit to this, teachers loose reason for existance and they do not know how to motivate the student. I see for example that he is very interesting imporovising with electronic insturments. For example he plays parts of the Mozart sonata facile by changing rithim and adding different sounds and he can go forever by doing this.

[weissenberg2]

Don't shove it down his throat.

Which composers have you shown him? that may have something to do with it.

[antichrist]

play feux follets infront of him, then he will restore interest,I hope