For the first time in my piano teaching career I’m seeing a new breed of piano students come through my studio door. No, these kids haven’t grown any extra fingers, but they are coming to piano lessons with a new set of expectations. Meet GenZ, the digital student.

One teen came to her lesson last week and after eight lessons she decided she didn’t need her books anymore – she just wanted to learn how to “sit down at the piano and play.” Another student performed a Taylor Swift piece she learned from a YouTube tutorial  followed by one of her own compositions, complete with vocals – a vast improvement over her performance of her assigned lesson material. Another boy worked on his Halloween improv and asked for ways to make it more “scary.”

These students are typical of the new generation. They’ve never known a world without the Internet, instant messaging, and email. They believe everyone has a shot at fame in a world where TV is “reality TV” and one YouTube video can bring instant “stardom.” They are easily bored because they are accustomed to what Mark Prensky refers to as the “twitch-speed” of video games and its instant rewards. They have no patience for lectures. They know exactly what they want to learn and tune out anything they feel is irrelevant. In fact, the bottom line is that their brains are different than ours. Studies in neuro-plasticity show that students of the digital generation have become parallel processors rather than linear processors.

I’ve learned that if I want to keep my roster of students, I’ve got to be quick-thinking, flexible and open-minded. Czerny and Hanon have been shelved for now. My finger exercises are simple patterns using the first five notes of the major and minor scales. Polishing repertoire has been replaced by an emphasis on sight-reading. Free improvisation has replaced written composition. Ear training and music theory are more important than ever. And lessons have become collaborations between student and mentor where the goal is for the students to be able to teach themselves, become musically independent, and ultimately, confident creative musicians.

Written by Cathy Shefski, of the All Piano Website.

Besides your latest efforts to recruit new students, when was the last time you really went all out in terms of marketing and networking? Indie music teachers are responsible for every part of their business, including managing the creative side, client relations and marketing. That’s why it’s important to build up your network of other independent music teachers so that you can benefit from a larger support system of professionals. Don’t think of all the other music teachers in your area as competition: think of them as potential business partners, friends, and people who can give you referrals. Here are six easy tips to get you started on building up your network.

1. Register with a national and/or local music association. There are numerous associations and clubs for independent music teachers and musicians, so register at the national and local levels to get invited to special events, conferences, and other networking events.
2. Organize a group recital. Contact other music teachers in your area to organize a group recital, especially if you have a limited number of students. For variety, ask teachers who are in a different field of music than you to join in.
3. Become a judge. Find out how you can become a judge at music competitions and festivals. You’ll meet other judges, teachers, parents, and students, as well as other professional contacts who can help you in the future.
4. Get online. Advertise your services by becoming a respected music resource on Facebook, Twitter, or through your blog. You can even set up a podcast or post audio recordings from your top students as a portfolio. The Internet has unlimited possibility for networking and marketing.
5. Share space. Post a listing on Craigslist or just ask around to find another music teacher who’s interested in sharing a studio space. You can get a two-room space or switch off days of the week.
6. Perform at local events. Contact local fairs and charity events to find out how your students can perform. Parents of your students will be glad to have their kids get the added exposure, and you’ll immediately advertise your services to everyone attending the event for free.

This post was contributed by Megan Jones, who writes about online colleges and universities. She welcomes your feedback at Meg.Jones0310 at gmail.com.

Welcome to the May 1, 2009 edition of music education blog carnival! Hope you enjoy checking out these great contributions!

Patricia Turner presents 100 Favorite Library Sites for Children and Their Parents posted at Online University Lowdown.

Music Pedagogy

Laura Lowe presents More From the MTNA Convention posted at The Lowe Piano Studio Blog, saying, “Click on the MTNA category for more blog posts about the 2009 MTNA National Convention in Atlanta, March 29-April 1″

Nancy Flanagan presents Nice Homework, if You Can Get It. posted at Teacher in a Strange Land, saying, “Is practicing “homework?” And is it any different than the kinds of homework other teachers assign?”

Joseph Pisano presents PMEA Clinic 2009- Bridging The Gap Between The Composers, The Performers, And The Audience posted at Music, Technology and Education: Mustech.net.

Natalie Wickham presents Songs from Around the World and Key Signature Games posted at Music Matters Blog, saying, “Help your students gain an appreciation for world music and play some high-energy key signature games while you’re at it!”

Lorraine presents from photoheaven7 posted at The hidden healing secrets of music.

BNC Edcuation presents Evaluating Students for Percussion posted at BNC Education, saying, “Drums are probably the most popular choice among young people when choosing an instrument. Everyone wants to be a drummer. But you can’t have a band full of drummers. In our program, as is the case with most, we don’t have enough equipment for any more than about 12 percussionists. Evaluating Students for Percussion is a two step process. Once narrows the field from wanna-bes and the second actually gets to the heart of the matter.”

Music Performance

Sheila Scarborough presents All that jazz on San Antonio’s River Walk posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “No better way to appreciate classic jazz like Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton than to hear it live, with Jim Cullum’s Jazz Band in San Antonio.”

Dennis Gray presents Speech Level Singing Technique posted at How To Sing Better (Now), saying, “The Speech Level Singing technique is a powerful technique used by many of today’s top recording artists that can help artists at any level learn how to sing better.”

Nui Loa presents Interview with Debbie Cavalier posted at Boston Children’s Music, saying, “Great interview with Debbie Cavalier, Head of Continuing Education at Berklee College of Music and leader of the popular kid’s band Debbie and Friends.”

Peter Micic presents Musicking posted at an imperfect pen.

Music Technology

David French presents Computer Singing posted at Tanbur Music Education Blogspot, saying, “Using the computer to promote singing activities in the music classroom.”

Andy Zweibel presents “Computers, Keyboards, and Music” – A Curriculum Restructure posted at Andy Zweibel – Music Musings and Other Randoms…, saying, “This is a proposed restructure of the curriculum to a college level music technology course at the University of Miami, including proposed activities/projects that would keep students engaged and excited about the material!”

Other

Karin Le Blanc presents Discografie | Ampiphy | The Official Blog ~ This Is Rock ‘n’ Roll ~ posted at Ampiphy.

HazardousPaste presents Why Music Encompasses Everything posted at Black Holes and Snowy Mountains, saying, “A music appreciation post.”

Alvaro Fernandez presents Arts and Smarts: Test Scores and Cognitive Development posted at SharpBrains, saying, “At a time when educators are preoccupied with standards, testing, and the bottom line, some researchers suggest the arts can boost students’ test scores; others aren’t convinced. Karin Evans asks, What are the arts good for?”

Tips

Angelique Lee and Francine Kenney presents Bagged! Pushy Parents Actually Slow Down Music Learning posted at Music Practice For Kids.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of music education blog carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: music education blog carnival, blog carnival.

Today, I am pleased to welcome Elizabeth Wellburn, author of the children’s book Echoes from the Square, for a special interview.

What prompted your interest in writing this story about Vedran Smailovic, cellist of Sarajevo?
My daughter Amy is a cellist, and we had heard about Mr. Smailovic’s actions on the internet. I believed that what he had done was inspirational and I was intrigued by the idea of telling the story from the point of view of a child who had witnessed the performances. My husband Deryk Houston did the artwork for the book, so it was a bit of a family project.

What sort of background do you have in music and/or writing?
I am an educator and my specialty is really education technology. But the technology is something I see as a means to an end. Information literacy and critical thinking are what I believe should be the main goals of education in this information–rich era. And I am a huge supporter of the arts – to make us human and allow us to connect in important ways (some which can be enhanced by technology). So a project that could incorporate several of these aspects was appealing to me.

How long did the process take from conception to finished book?
The book was published just over ten years ago and the exact amount of time from start to completion is a bit fuzzy in my mind now. At least two years — but that time included gaps when we were “on hold.”

Can you describe your process for researching the information that went into the story?
Ahhh… it was a great research project and it involved a bit of detective work and a lot of luck. Smailovic’s actions were reported widely, so it was easy to find out which music he had performed, where he had played, etc. And there was plenty of heartbreaking information about the Bosnian war and its impact on the people and the area. I wrote a quick draft and Deryk did some rough artwork based on our daughter’s cello teacher. Rubicon, a small Canadian publisher, was interested (our timing was good), but we all really wanted to to base the artwork on the real Smailovic and have his opinion of the story. He was almost impossible to find, though. Amazingly, one day we received a postcard for our daughter from a friend in Boston, a dear person who we see, if we’re lucky, every couple of years. The card had Smailovic’s photo on it and was signed, to Amy, 1000 times love, Vedran Smailovic. Our friend didn’t know we were working on the project, but had been to a performance in Boston and thought Amy, as a cellist, would like the card. This led us to the person who had booked Vedran for the Boston performance, and we were then able to find him. Meeting him added a richness to the story and artwork that we couldn’t have achieved otherwise.

What sort of responses have you received from children that hear/read the story?
Children are so direct and wonderful. They often ask “why was there a war?” Many schools have used this book to as a starting point for art projects incorporating music themes, and it’s been very gratifying to see children’s interpretations of the power of music to make people feel better. One boy wrote and recorded a cello-violin duet that he has named “Echoes from the Square.”

You can imagine that we are thrilled that we’ve been able to help promote the idea of music for peace.

Any additional comments or thoughts you’d like to share?
We are delighted that our work aligns with the concept of “Creativity over Destructiveness” that is a main premise of the Zimbardo/Langdon “heroes in waiting” project — a curriculum to promote the conditions that lead individuals to seize the heroic moment. I’ve created a social media site to discuss this, in the context of:
- peace/conflict resolution
- creativity over destructiveness
- civic responsibility/resisting unwanted influences
- the role of culture and the arts in all of the above

We welcome people to participate at: http://echoesfromthesquare.ning.com/.

Teaching others how to hone their musical talents can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things you can choose to do. However, from time to time things can get frustrating and a reality check is in order. When this happens, it is time to take a step back and evaluate the basics of your operations. What follows is a brief list of things to keep in mind so that you don’t suddenly find yourself falling behind as a music teacher.

Time Management
As with most important endeavors, time is of the essence. Managing time when teaching music is especially important because lessons are usually a half-hour or less. If you find yourself constantly cutting things short, you might want to try using a timer for a while. Time your warm-ups, exercises, and practice time. Be sure and figure in time for discussions that may come up. Using the timer will keep you on your toes and moving along.

Lesson Planning
Planning out lessons ahead of time is of vital importance when teaching music, especially to beginners. The basic building blocks must be learned and properly reinforced before anything else can be accomplished, and tracking progress and planning accordingly is a big part of the process. Lesson ideas are available in many places on the web, here included. Be sure to encourage your students to practice and make adjustments accordingly.

Rapport
Rapport with students is an essential aspect of the relationship when you run your own studio. Obviously, teaching music requires discipline, practice, and hard work if budding musicians wish to become better. However, if you don’t have a good rapport with your students, they may not be your students for long anyway. Much of this is dependent upon the age of the student in question.

Communication
As with any business endeavor or teacher-student relationship, communication is very important as well. If a lesson must be moved or canceled, you must give your clients adequate advanced warning. If something isn’t working or is working especially well, you must convey that to your student, or their parents if applicable. Great communication is essential when dealing with others.

Quality
You are helping to teach a very important skill to people. As such, you are compensated; be sure that your clients are getting their money’s worth during each session. Quality and measurable progress are ways to help your business and private studio grow over the course of time.

This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the lists of best universities. She invites you to e-mail her your feedback.

If you have a guest post you would like to contribute for publication on Music Matters Blog, please feel free to send me an e-mail with the information.