Piano lessons should equip students to enjoy healthy music-making. As a facilitator, I foster healthy musicianship by beginning each lesson with stretches and “posture checks” to ensure my students are warmed-up physically and positioned well at the instrument. Additionally, my students develop healthy musicianship habits by learning how their physical approach to the piano affects their sound. One way I facilitate this discovery is by having them imitate the gesture I use to play a phrase. We then discuss how this felt physically (e.g., relaxed, tense) and how the phrase sounded (e.g., smooth, harsh). This process not only promotes healthy technique by making students aware of excess tension, but also fosters musicality, as students learn how to use their bodies to achieve their desired sound. Observing my students’ physical approach to the piano during lessons and asking if they are pleased with their sound helps me assess their progress in these areas.
Piano lessons should also help students become autonomous learners, as many cannot take lessons consistently throughout their lifespan. Developing autonomy, therefore, allows students to enjoy music-making independent of a teacher. One way I foster autonomy is by guiding my students through the learning steps for a specific skill in a lesson and having them apply these in a similar but new context during at-home practice. Students who come to the following lesson able to perform the assignment demonstrate growing autonomy. Together, healthy musicianship and autonomy allows students to enjoy a lifetime of piano playing.
