The School Holidays are almost here - Yay or Oh No!!??

We all know it’s hard to keep motivated to keep up musical practice over the summer holidays when the sun is shining and your own little pianist, violinist, cellist, guitarist, clarinetist, trombonist, vocalist, trumpeter, saxophonist (delete as required)  wants to be outside or wants to be on their x-box!

The best advice from all of the instrument players and teachers here at Forsyth is :-

Get the music teacher’s advice on how much practice to do. Make sure your child is involved in that discussion and take their point into consideration.

Get your instrumentalist or soloist to write up a draft schedule of practice.  Finalise the schedule together - don’t simply over-rule their suggestions.  In doing this the player is more likely to agree to and keep to the finalised schedule.

Keep a calendar or book to keep track of practice.

Set some small achievable goals - perhaps to learn the start of a new piece in 15 days or to have completed up to a specific page in their study book or to have each practice session completed by 10am for 5 sessions in a row or to have completed each practice session without having been asked to do it for 3 times in a row. Be creative but be realistic.

Try some joint practice sessions with friends or make a ‘band’ or a ‘duet’ to entertain grandparents or the neighbours.

Let your performer teach you how to play, sing or blow a tune from their practice book.

Is it time to upgrade the instrument?  Let your virtuoso be part of the selection process.  Take their suggestions into account - if they get to choose, it will be more than just an instrument, it will be THEIR instrument. And it doesn't have to be boring - there have been great advances in plastic and coloured instruments - think pBone and Nuvo Clarineo.

Have a good system of rewards and praise, not just for reaching a goal but for their efforts too. "Well done" and "That sounds great" are sometimes better received than cake and x-box time.

The playing and teaching staff here at Forsyth are always happy to wax lyrical about best practices for practice and performance.  Come and see us in the heart of Manchester.