When I was in year 12, it was tradition that the girls make their debut at a Debutante Ball. We all dressed in white and were presented to the local bishop. Yes, very patriarchal by today’s standards, but that’s how it was. I recall the girls had to ask a partner to attend with them. I really didn’t want to ask anyone. I don’t think I had a lot of confidence back then, especially to be asking a boy out like this. Anyway, I did manage to find a guy who was happy to come with me to this event. I think I spent about 10 minutes on the actual night with him and that was only because we had to dance with each other.
Other than that, he disappeared over to the more ‘popular’ group of girls and that was the last I saw of him. I still had a great night with my friends but I often wondered why he would have said he would be my partner if he had zero interest in spending any substantial amount of time with me.
I have a distinct memory of speaking to him through the classroom window on the following Monday morning, as another tradition was that we were to give our partner a thank you gift. I had bought him a pen. If it wasn’t for the fact I had his name engraved on it I probably would have kept it for myself. It was a really nice pen. He certainly looked sheepish and funnily enough apologised. I wonder why he said yes in the first place?
On the very odd occasion, over the years, I have had a student enrol who has done very little or no practise in between lessons. They haven’t followed the instructions I have laid out and seem to think that the lesson time is their time to process the content. All this, even when I have explained that lessons are like shopping at the supermarket. You go there to pick up the ingredients for a meal but the cooking happens at home. The magic of this piano program happens at home also.
Once again, I feel bemused by this human behaviour, especially after investing financially in lessons. Why would you want to enroll in lessons unless you intend spending time, making time, carving out time in your schedule to process the concepts and become engaged with the process of making music immediately from your very first lessons?
Yes, life is busy.
Yes, there are other competing priorities.
Yes, we can always find a ‘good’ reason’ why we don’t follow through with our commitments.
There can be so many other interesting things that divide our attention.
I am guilty of all of the above at times!
Then why say yes if there is little to no intention of actually cultivating the skill?
Students may wonder why I’m asking them to do what I ask of them sometimes.
That’s completely understandable.
I get it.
They can’t see ahead in the curriculum like I can so I do have to ask them to trust me and trust the process.
It works!
They will just have to take me at my word on that : )
Email your best contact number to joanne@rhythmandtunes.com.au I will be in touch.