From one Suzuki parent to another
In part 2 of a series on deliberate practice, we dive into the heady concept of mental representations and how they affect practice.
This is the second article in a series on deliberate practice. The first in the series dealt with the concept of deliberate practice as a general principle and today we’ll dive into mental representations as an essential component of deliberate practice.
The first of a series of articles on deliberate practice. Learning to practice with focused intent.
This week, I’m beginning a new series of articles on deliberate practice as it relates to the work of the Suzuki parent and student.
Artistry comes from finding the right recipe of contradictory ingredients in the practice room.
“Go in front of a mirror with your instrument, look at yourself and tell yourself what recipe, from several contradictory elements will make you the best artist. The ingredients are repetition vs spontaneity. Relaxation vs control. Confidence vs humility. After all, technical discipline does bring us artistic freedom. We just have to figure out on any given day what the recipe is to make us the best artist we can be.”
Part of having a plan is planning for it not to work.
Having a plan for practice makes for smoother, more effective practices.
Confidence comes from knowing that your route will take you where you want to go.
Confidence comes from knowing that your route will take you where you want to go. Whether it’s about the mastery of a certain piece of music or about the long road to become a confident player, it’s about trusting that the process will get you there.
Kids seldom need help playing fast. But they do need help playing fast well.
Kids seldom need help playing fast. But they do need help playing fast well. Tempo ladders are one way to bring some organization to the process of going faster.
How we use real-time audio recording to enhance practice.
A perpetual search for novelty in practice revealed some cool ways to use real-time audio recording to enhance practice.
Improving by focusing on fundamentals
While the Suzuki method focuses on consistent, rather than rapid progress, it’s definitely more enjoyable to play better and to progress.
Sometimes the process can be overwhelming.
Her breaking point, it turned out, was Kreutzer #11.
Advancing students will eventually hit a point where doing everything is no longer possible. Some tips on managing it.
Well, I can’t exactly guarantee frustration-free practice but we can try.
The Suzuki Experience is a weblog focused on helping parents practice more effectively and joyfully with their children. It traces the progress of our experience from beginner to budding young artist.