"Every single note on this album is there for a reason." Vanessa Carlton
Making music is different from playing notes. This is a difficult concept for students to often grasp but extremely important if you are to transform a piece from just mechanics to artistry.
Excellent technique is fundamental to making beautiful music, and dynamics can really get the ball rolling, so don't ignore those p's, ff's, <'s, etc.
As important as dynamics are, those little instructions are just the beginning to mastering a piece. Ayanna's teacher often asks her, "How would you do this phrase? How do you feel about it?" Those are some of the most courageous questions a teacher can ask a student because anything can happen (and often does). But these questions are absolutely essential for the musician to put him/herself into the music.
It also takes courage for the student to make this leap. "What if it's not right?" But if you can take a chance and play a piece the way you feel it in your heart or hear it in your head, you're going to find the fun in performance and even practice. A little bit of confidence will go a long way.
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