Dear David, thanks for your fine words. So what is the best way to teach and learn an instrument, say: the lute? Are there general advices? Differences from children and amateurs to serious students? Differences from the less comfortable situation of a teacher feeling the need or even dependent on that the student attends his or her lessons to the more comfortable situation where the students feel the need of even dependent on having this teacher? ...
In the course of my (rather serious but still amateurish) guitar and lute lessons my (always very friendly and supportive) teachers usually explained me how things should best be done, scribbeled advice into my sheet music, added or even changed fingerings with his pen, explaining (but not always) why this way of playing was how it should be done. I was virtually never asked to work out an interpretation by myself and justify it, open to his or her advice and correction of course. I would actually have been extremely challenged to do so, as I hadn't the knowledge and the mental means. As it seems, that was the easy way for the teachers as well who seem to have taken this method for granted. Very curious to learn what you would add from your experience and thought Franz ----------------------- Dr. Franz Mechsner Zum Kirschberg 40 D-14806 Belzig OT Borne franz.mechs...@gmx.de +49(0)33841-441362 Gesendet: Sonntag, 15. Dezember 2013 um 10:24 Uhr Von: "David van Ooijen" <davidvanooi...@gmail.com> An: Kein Empfaenger Cc: lutelist <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Betreff: [LUTE] Re: Bream Collection... I just noticed Wise words, Franz Whilst still at Conservatory, we had the opportunity of having lessons with many of the great musicians in early music. Not all were great teachers. But if we prepared ourselves well, we could get the best out of any lesson by asking the right questions and preparing the right pieces. Know your audience and prepare yourself for them. In other words, a good lesson can be like giving a good concert. David On 15 December 2013 05:46, Franz Mechsner <[1]franz.mechs...@gmx.de> wrote: A quick addition to my earlier note. When I taught at the university I now and then was confronted with students who would not agree to my fundamental views, or even had an attitude toward science which I considered superficial and ill-educated. Obviously I tended to consider my own decade-long efforts a guarantee that I was certainly right and these students wrong. So my attitude towards the problem was "These guys are not so intelligent and dedicated as it should be, and therefore I will not work with them" rather than "These guys would not follow my way, and therefore I am angry." In any case, a dismissive attitude against some students would certainly send a signal to all students to behave obediently in order to please me. Bad thing of course, as my intention was to stimulate own thinking and creativity thus doubting and contradicting the teacher should be encouraged and even embraced rather than implicitly forbidden. So I had to educate myself to always take the student seriously, even if I think he or she is not worth the trouble. You can always ask the student why he or she holds a certain view or act a certain way and learn from it or/and explain your own view in a friendly manner. I think Segovia had dedicated so much genius and effort into his views on music, interpretations, fingerings etc. that he was unable to imagine that a student could have done better, or simply could have done what is best for him at that point in his or her development. Some teachers think, students should follow them first then develop their own ideas, while others consider developing the students own mind so important that they should dare to think and get better in this over time - you have to start after all, allow yourself and be allowed to make errors of course - no need to be perfect from the beginning, and no justification to be looked upon for own thinking and being gratified for obedience. To support and encourage the students here even if it leads to that they may contradict you is certainly one of the great challenges for a teacher. Best Franz -- References 1. mailto:franz.mechs...@gmx.de To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
