Motivation – Pianodao

Developing Motivation

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales

The question of motivation is one of the most important for all piano players and teachers, and turns out not to be a straightforward one.

• Why do we love the piano?
• How do we fan that flame and keep it alight?
• What motivates us to practise, play, and perform?
• How do we help to motivate others?

Psychologists and educators talk about different types of motivation, which can help us understand the various factors that drive us, and which will enthuse others.

Here on Pianodao, there are many articles to unpack this vital subject in plain English, including in-depth advice, motivational encouragement, and reflections on how to discover more joy at the piano.

Do Grade Exams Motivate?

Pianodao Articles • Full Archive

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales

What part do the Grade exams play in fostering positive motivation? Do they provide a necessary framework for musical advancement, or distract from more important goals? Are they signposts to success, or might they put some learners off playing a musical instrument altogether?

Most teachers will recognise that for some learners, entering for a grade exam seems to spur them towards progress, while for others they can prove less positive.

For more than three decades, I have helped prepare some (but not all) of my students for grade exams, so have had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the pros and cons. I have observed many good reasons for “taking the grades” as well as a few rather misguided ones, and have discovered why many (despite using graded music books and materials) prefer not to take exams.

In this post, I will explore this complex question from various angles and perspectives. I hope that my balanced conclusions will help readers pursue a well informed pathway of progress that suits their individual needs and goals, whether choosing to take the grades or not.

True Fun at the piano

Fermata • Pause and Reflect

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Reflection by Andrew Eales

Piano teacher discussions can sometimes assume the appearance of a boxing match between, in the one corner, experienced stalwarts who stress the point that learning the piano should be a serious business, and in the other corner, teachers keen to emphasise inclusion, and the need for learning to be ‘fun’.

It is understandable that we neither want playing the piano to be cast as laborious, nor as lightweight. But can’t ‘fun’ be a serious business?

In her outstanding book The Power of Fun (2021), award-winning science journalist and author Catherine Price gives a lengthy but glorious exposition of what she calls ‘True Fun’, and to my mind she resolves the confusion. In this post, I am going to share and comment on a few highlights.

Developing an interest

Fermata • Pause and Reflect

Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Reflection by Andrew Eales

As a child, I developed a number of fleeting interests, including the history of art (a major scrapbook project, winning a prize at the school hobbies exhibition), counting the spots on ladybirds (for which I received fewer accolades), exploring Bedfordshire by bicycle, and Russian literature,

That’s right – I was a bit of a nerd! But at a fairly young age, I had discovered an important truth:

Anything can be interesting
If we approach it with enough interest.

But none of the aforementioned topics could ultimately compete with the profound interest I developed in music from the age of eight. That was when I first heard an LP of Mozart’s Horn Concerti, which changed my life forever…