Teenage beginners

[markmacdonald]

I'm a music student teaching piano to young beginners in Scotland. I've been teaching for about a year now and all of the pupils I have taken on have been young (primary school) beginners with the exception of one adult. With the kids, I have used the Chesters Easiest Piano Course books before moving onto the ABRSM exam books, but have a new pupil starting next week who is 14 and I think the Chester's stuff might be a bit young for him. Any suggestions on other books??
Thanks

Mark

[whynot]

Hello, person in my favorite country on earth!  I try to visit every few years.  I can't suggest a specific book because I'm sure we have access to different material, but I teach a lot of teenagers and you're very kind to be sensitive to how this student would feel confronted with a children's book.  If (s)he's an absolute beginner, like "we call this middle C," you may have to write out little songs yourself just to have some music to talk about at first.  This is very easy and only takes a few minutes because they should be short (8 ms?) and stay in 5-finger positions, and if one hand's moving, the other should probably be resting or holding a chord, so within those paremeters you can knock out several pleasant-sounding things to play right away.  If the student knows a little already, maybe you could use the early exam stuff (I don't know what that is) or adapt it while s/he catches up.  Bernhard has some fantastic threads listing easy-to-very-easy music of high quality.  Also, teenagers ALWAYS have something they secretly wish they could play, some pop tune or a classical piece that experienced players feel is hackneyed but that the student might find very moving.  If you can get them to tell you what that is, don't laugh, whatever you do! even if you think it's in poor taste or way too difficult, there's always something to work with once you know what they care about.  Good luck!

[Nana_Ama]

what about the Book of Anna Magdalena Bach?? 

Bernard knows some great beginner pieces I'm sure 

[ptmidwest]

Bump. 

And if I may ask, what are some of your successful approaches with these students?  Teenagers often have very little time for practice--how best to motivate them when they are still beginners in piano?

[pianistimo]

recitals.  it's about the only way.  once they realize they've got some competition (not major - just a combo of your other students) they practice more out of embarrassment to play badly in front of peers.  of course, with the amount of homework they have to do nowdays - maybe more recitals in the summer?  i'm not sure.  it is important they get exercise and rest, too.  i think better not to go overboard - but even small 'masterclass' recitals of sections of pieces would be ok - so they get used to playing for the other teens even portions of what they are learning.  say, first movements.  or, even break it down further.  whatever they are prepared to play.  it doesn't seem to work if you are pushing them to play more than what they are ready for.  you can ask 'what do you have prepared today' at the lesson and then work out what they will play for the 'master class.' 

basically, you can have one every week or once a month.  every week you see much faster progression of skills - but it might be a burden to have it every week in your home.  this is also a time that you can give a 'mini' lecture on the composers that are being played - some history, insight, and practice at stage presence (which is often not talked about during lesson time).

[hyrst]

Hi
For my teenage students, I use an accelerated method book (sometimes and adult text, sme times just accelerated learner).  With all my students, the lesson books are to promote reading - and to draw attention to technical tricks that don't require too much work but do need a 'know how to play' approach.  The lesson books complement other study pieces - some I write and others are anything suitable for the student (either becasue they want ot play it or I suggest it and they like it).  It's a lot of work to write individual lesson pieces for each student - it's just impractical, especailly when there are so man piecesalready written.  I have found that the teenagers don't have any better an idea of what they want to play than the young children - adults are much better at knowing what they want.  Try out a few pieces that might be approachable - check what type of music they want to learn.  They must have some general idea, starting in mid-teens means they have chosen to learn - they msut have sojme goal in mind, so find out what it is.  Never say something is too hard - it might just take time and creative problem solving, one step at a time.  The lesson books Iuse depend very much on the personality of the student and the style of music they want to learn - I choose differnt materials for different students.  For example, the Alfred adult series is good for learning by chords - which is good for modern and fake music reading.

The biggest key is - don' treat a 14cyear old like a child - treat them like a young adult!  It's better to work out that you are pitching your communication too high, and then come down than to treat them like babies and work your way up.  They'll never foget that you treated them like a baby!

Good luck,
Annah

[penguinlover]

Yes, whatever you do, don't treat them like children.  Don't use childish books, with big print and pictures.  An adult course is what I would use.  Our High School used the Bastien Adult course when they had a piano class.  I think the kids really like it.