Teaching children and inspiring them to play the piano is one thing.

What differences do you see when it comes to motivating older students?

“In my experience, adults need more praise and encouragement than children. Adults don't want to be educated and patronized. Your own inner critic is often big enough, so the music teachers should take on an empowering role and meet the student with understanding and at eye level - and keep reminding him of what he has already achieved.

Older students also often know exactly what they want. You formulate concrete questions and wishes regarding the learning content and the selection of pieces. I try to address that as best as I can. Music teachers are also service providers. If the student feels seen and important, that is very motivating.”

The core of piano lessons: choice of repertoire and basic theory

What role do you think the repertoire plays in motivating piano students?

“Finding the right pieces for the individual student is incredibly important. Every music teacher has experienced how quickly a piece is learned that the student enjoys. Enthusiastic students learn almost by themselves and are incredibly motivated. In contrast, many drop out of class when they are only asked to play pieces they don’t like.”

How much say do your students have in choosing a piece?

“My students have a lot of say in choosing the pieces. I also don't want to be forced to eat spinach if I don't like it. My job as a teacher is to make offers and offer as wide a range of different literature as possible. Especially with children who are still very curious and eager to try things out.

If a child is forced to learn a piece that he doesn't like at all, he will remember it for the rest of his life. Older students, on the other hand, simply stop practicing if they are not enjoying the pieces.

Of course you can also negotiate a bit. If you explain the intention of the selection to a student, he is much more willing to learn a piece that he does not like one hundred percent. It is also not necessary to learn the whole piece, a section often does. He will then be rewarded with a particularly beautiful piece.”

What do you think of lessons without repertoire – that is, lessons without fixed pieces but with pure improvisation?

“For so many unmotivated students, improvisational lessons are the salvation. Especially after puberty, a pop or jazz teacher may be better off picking up the student exactly where he is. I admire these colleagues for being able to teach without a fixed repertoire and being incredibly creative with their instrument.”

What are the prerequisites for learning how to use an instrument creatively? What role does music theory or understanding music play for you?

“Music understanding is essential if a student ever wants to be able to learn pieces of music independently and with ease.

In classical lessons, recognizing harmonies, motifs (melodic and rhythmic) and the form of a piece makes practicing a lot easier. It would be ideal if you worked creatively with this material. On the piano, there are a thousand ways to vary a melody or the accompaniment, or to play with the ideas of a piece.”

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