Making Music and Enriching Lives: a Guide for All Music Teachers
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Blanchard Music | Education $24.95 “Beginning and experienced teachers will find new tricks and inspiration here to rekindle their love of teaching and music. Bonnie’s tips and stories will show how to run a photo by yuen lui studios, inc. studio, motivate students, deal with stage fright, teach artistry, and involve the whole family in music. This book M MAKING is serious about music, but it’s also fun—something that should always be part of good music instruction.” A —Sir James Galway KIN and “The Music for Life series stands alone as an incredible re- MUSIC source for all professional musicians—whether performing G or teaching. Music for Life deserves a standing ovation!” —Gerard Schwarz, Conductor, Seattle Symphony MUSIC Bonnie Blanchard ENRICHING “Bonnie Blanchard shares the teaching tricks that have worked so well in her own studio to produce successful students who are energized about their lessons and their music. Ms. Blanchard’s entertaining style makes this series a thoroughly enjoyable read.” LIVES —Bradley Garner, Professor of Flute, University of Cincinnati A College, Conservatory of Music, and Pre-Collegiate Faculty, ND Juilliard School A GUIDE FOR ALL MUSIC TEACHERS ENRICHIN Making Music and Enriching Lives is unlike any other in- Bonnie Blanchard structional book in the way it addresses comprehensive issues that affect all teachers, students, and musicians. In this book, with you will find specifics not only about how to teach music, but Cynthia Blanchard Acree also about how to motivate and inspire students of any age. Blanchard shares successful approaches with both students and teachers that have worked wonders in her own studio to produce successful students who are energized about their G INDIANA lessons and their music. LIVES University Press BONNIE BLANCHARD holds music and teaching de- Bloomington & Indianapolis grees from the University of Washington. She has long been respected in the Pacific Northwest as a versatile freelance http://iupress.indiana.edu musician, yet she is best known as a dynamic instructor with 1-800-842-6796 unique teaching techniques that create skilled musicians with a lifelong love of music. Cynthia Blanchard Acree’s dual memoir (with Cliff Acree) The Gulf between Us was featured as a “Today’s Best Nonfiction” excerpt in Reader’s Digest. Music for Life INDIANA MAKING MUSIC AND ENRICHING LIVES Making Music and Enriching Lives A Guide for All Music Teachers BONNIE BLANCHARD WITH CYNTHIA BLANCHARD ACREE Indiana University Press Bloomington & Indianapolis This book is a publication of Indiana University Press 601 North Morton Street Bloomington, IN 47404-3797 USA http://iupress.indiana.edu Telephone orders 800-842-6796 Fax orders 812-855-7931 Orders by e-mail [email protected] © 2007 by Bonnie Blanchard All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses’ Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. Manufactured in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Blanchard, Bonnie. Making music and enriching lives : a guide for all music teachers / Bonnie Blanchard ; with Cynthia Blanchard Acree. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN: 978-0-253-34915-6 (cloth : alk. paper)— ISBN: 978-0-253-21917-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Music—Instruction and study. 2. Music—Economic aspects. I. Acree, Cynthia Blanchard. II. Title. MT1.B652 2007 780.71—dc22 2006038225 1 2 3 4 5 12 11 10 09 08 07 Music is the bridge from one heart to another. —Unknown CONTENTS acknowledgments ⁄ ix Part 1. Enriching Lives 1. Transform Your Teaching Style: The Music for Life Method 3 2. Focus on Relationships First 16 3. Instill Pride and Respect 26 4. Show Students Your Commitment to Excellence 36 5. Promote a Love of Learning and Independence 48 6. Create an Atmosphere of Achievement 57 7. Attitude Is Everything 65 8. Make Practice a Priority 70 9. Increase Success with the Music for Life Notebook System 78 10. Energize Students with Goals 86 11. Recognize and Reward Results and Effort 96 12. Foster Happy, Confident Students 104 13. Host Fun Musical Events 111 Part 2. Making Music 14. Use Practice Tricks for Fast Results 123 15. Musicality Makes the Difference 137 16. Multiply the Fun in Chamber Music 157 17. Take the Fear Out of Memorization 170 18. Help Students Become Confident Sight Readers 175 Part 3. Tackling Your Toughest Teaching Challenges 19. In the Beginning 185 20. Make Learning Fun (and Less Painful) for Adults 192 21. Troubleshoot Problems and Turn around Complaints 200 viii | Contents 22. Prepare Students for Performance 211 23. Conquer Stage Fright 217 24. Ace the Audition 231 25. When It’s Time to Say Goodbye 241 26. Ask the Teacher 248 Part 4. Running Your Private Music Studio 27. Establish Your Private Studio and Develop a Business Plan 271 28. Get Paid What You’re Worth 283 29. A Life in the Arts: Is It for You? 295 30. Make the Teacher’s Life Easier 300 for further reading ⁄ 307 index ⁄ 311 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Making Music and Enriching Lives was born of a one-hour speech to the National Flute Association. Over the years, teachers had often approached me saying, “Please write a book so we can share your techniques.” I had envisioned writing a mentoring book for teachers. It wasn’t until Karen Iglitzin, a fine violinist and youth chamber music pro- gram director suggested, “With handouts, your speech could be a book,” that I turned my vision into action. Several years and challenges later, I’m grateful for the impetus she gave me to undertake such a demanding yet rewarding project. Once I started writing, the natural person to turn to was my sister, Cynthia Acree, a writing consultant and author of The Gulf between Us. She helped me to find my writing voice while working tirelessly to organize and edit my writing, and add her own ideas. Most importantly, Cindy was my partner every step of the way. Without her pa- tience, skill, and computer tutoring, I would have given up years ago. I’m indebted to her husband, Cliff, and boys, Stephen and Mark, for sharing her for so long. Cindy introduced me to her remarkable literary agent, Jim Sutton. I felt flattered and grateful when Jim, a mainstream professional publishing executive, saw the value of the project, even in the early stages. With his guidance, I found the ideal publisher to share my vision. At Indiana University Press, I have had the good fortune to work with Assistant Music Editor Donna Wilson, who chose the book; copyeditor Carrie Jadud, who did an insightful job of editing; and Managing Editor Miki Bird, who en- thusiastically oversaw the whole project. With their skill and support, my vision be- came reality. Many talented music friends offered formative suggestions and encouraged me. It’s impossible to name them all on this page. I sincerely appreciate Sir James Galway for his kind words and his brilliant performances that inspire me. I especially wish to thank my dear friend Melinda Bargreen, Classical Music Critic for the Seattle Times. My un- failing anchor and advocate, her invaluable advice and perpetual enthusiasm energized me and the book. Mary Kay Wilson, my talented accompanist, read every version of the manuscript and used her top notch grammar skills to spot even the most esoteric of errors. Hal Ott, Professor of Flute at Central Washington University, tested my ideas against reality and continually supported me. I also wish to thank my teachers and colleagues who instilled in me a lifelong love of music and the skills to share it. They include my flute teacher, the late Dorothy Bjar- nason, my college choir director, Rodney Eichenberger, and my viola teacher, Eileen Swanson. I became a better player and teacher by attending master classes from Amy Porter, Brad Garner, Tim Day, Michel DeBost, Patricia George, and Jill Felber. And I can’t forget my students and their parents who allowed me to experiment with them and test my ideas. I’m privileged to be your teacher and your friend. x|Acknowledgments My cherished mom, Emily, instilled in her girls the tenacity to work fourteen-hour days, and shared my housekeeping to allow me precious time to write. My sons, Scott and Kyle, suffered while I hogged the computer for five years. Don, my tone-deaf yet supportive husband, helped me to keep my priorities straight and was always ready with a big hug. I am so lucky! And finally, a word of warning to my dear friends who cheered my progress in writing this book: I’m already hard at work on the second vol- ume! Par t 1 ENRICHING LIVES ONE Transform Your Teaching Style: The Music for Life Method e music teachers have a wonderful job! What other profession allows you to use Wyour creativity, enjoy wonderful music, and change lives? It’s thrilling to watch students learn focus and self-confidence while developing their potential and their love of music. Few things are more rewarding than taking students who are “blank slates” and turning them into dazzling musicians. I’m thankful every day to have found this means of feeding my family and my soul. But teaching does have its challenges—get- ting kids to practice, charging for make-up lessons, dealing with interfering or reluctant parents, and inspiring students to become successful performers.