From the Practice Files, episode 4

• by Jacqueline Whittemore

Welcome back!  It is hard to believe that we are now entering our 4^th month of parent practice tips. In my first column, I proposed two core tenets for a successful Suzuki journey:

1. Practice is a dynamic, focused collaboration between the parent and child!
2. Suzuki is a way of life, so it should occur daily and be FUN!!!

From there, we explored a variety of strategies for ensuring that practice makes perfect – not just permanent – and developing strong intonation. Today, I would like to take a break from technical considerations to explore the importance of practice as a collaboration between parent and child.

As a child, I took many years of conventional music lessons, primarily piano with a few smattering years of violin and cello. To be perfectly frank, practice was something I did poorly. Part of it was that I was never taught how to practice intentionally, but mostly I practiced erratically and halfheartedly because I found it dreary and lonely. In high school, however, I joined a couple advanced choirs and found I loved time spent honing my skills.

What was the big difference?

Community. Our section met regularly to practice – and laugh – together. There was always someone to sing with, to riff off, to tease. Time flew by as our skills developed. Shinichi Suzuki’s focus on the relationship, therefore, made perfect sense to me. If I wish Marguerite to practice, I cannot park her in a room with a timer with instructions not to come out till it has gone off and she checked all the boxes from her lesson plan. Engaging with her throughout the process is essential to feed her joy in the music – and our joy in each other. But, as Thich Nhat Hanh observed, “Multitasking means you’re never fully present for any one thing. Do one thing at a time and give it your full attention. Practice mono-tasking!”

But it is hard. Most people juggle myriad responsibilities – work, parents, children, chores. Sometimes dinner simply must be made, a project completed, or bills sorted out. Sometimes nerves are stretched too taut, brains are on overload. And that is not to mention the siren call of the smartphone!

So, how can you ensure practice is lively, focused and fun? Make it a team sport!!! There are myriad ways without you trying to become the next Zlatomir Fung (who is playing the Elgar Cello Concerto TOMORROW with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra – tickets still available).

• If you play ANY instrument, find a way to “accompany” your child from time to time. Don’t think you play an instrument? Guess what? Some of our favorites include sleigh bells, a clapper we got at a St. Patrick’s Day parade, and dried out bamboo pieces that we clack together. Wooden spoons on pots or oatmeal containers also are great choices.
• Make up silly lyrics to sing along! (Opera, it ain’t, but note Marguerite joy at the end and how I leveraged that into a ‘better bow’.) If you aren’t a lyricist, no worries. You can find myriad lyrics premade for you online. Doing this also allows ‘practicing in the car during commutes.
• Tap into your child’s friend network. Marguerite’s friends LOVE the viciousness of pelting her with finger puppets when they catch her left elbow dropping, etc. It keeps practice from being isolating, and she also is much less grumpy about them chastising her than me.
• Arrange jam sessions with friends! These are great opportunities to review previous repertoire, to collaborate, and to remember why playing an instrument is so AWESOME. Like adults, children often up their game when they perform with peers.

 

Remember: The key isn’t to be great – the key is to create great fun! As memorialized in Tu Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, “Larger than life is just the right size.”