Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Reflection by Andrew Eales
The ancient Chinese Classic of Rites, among the world’s oldest wisdom texts, tells us of four mistakes that are commonly made by learners.
“There are four mistakes a student makes when learning, that a teacher must know:
trying to learn too much;
trying to learn too little,
trying to make everything easy;
and trying to quit.
In all four cases, the heart will be scattered.
You must first know your heart;
Only then can you correct such mistakes.”
Book of Rites, Xiu Ji (translated by Deng Ming-Dao)
The Way of Health and Beauty, 2019
The player who tries to learn too much perhaps attempts an unrealistic number of pieces within a year, not comfortably mastering any of them. Perhaps, instead, they attempt music which is simply far too advanced for their present level of attainment and technical ability. Frustration sets in when enthusiasm meets reality, and they descend to the earth with a bump.
The player who tries to learn too little has the opposite problem. Bogged down with the detail, perhaps discouraged by perfectionist tendencies, they make little tangible progress, and have little to celebrate along their Way of Piano.
The player who wants to make everything easy, perhaps coaxed into implausible expectations by a misinformed teacher, becomes frustrated when confronted by the real-world fact that playing the piano is simply a challenge. It may be possible to achieve seemingly great things in a short time by using shortcuts, learning by rote, or neglecting the foundations of playing. But the cracks soon emerge, and are large enough to swallow the player whole.
Faced with such disappointments, many simply try to quit. Often quick to blame others, they make their excuses and leave.
Continue reading Four Mistakes a Student Makes
