If a musical genie appeared and offered to grant one music-related wish, what would you wish for? Don’t even try the “I’d wish for a thousand wishes” answer because you don’t need more than one: to be able to play whatever you want.
Isn’t that what every musician is striving for? Creating at the speed of inspiration is what makes “flow” happen. I slyly declare to my students that their ultimate wish has been answered: we simply need to practice playing our instruments without making mistakes.
Read MoreSeveral years ago, one of my students struggled with a song that was by no means beyond her technical level. And so, as she played through the piece, I repeatedly stopped her at each error to point out illogical interpretations of the music. Her long sigh, not out of frustration or anger, but what seemed to be sadness, occupied a space in my mind throughout the next week, reflecting similar frustrations with other students. It was clear that they wanted a chance to perform what they had been working on, even if it wasn’t perfect.
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