Pieces
The teacher will give the student a set of pieces of slowly increasing difficulty. Besides using pieces as an aid to teaching various elements of playing style, a good teacher will also inspire more intangible qualities such as expressiveness and musicianship. Pieces are more enjoyable for most students than theory or scales, and an emphasis on pieces is usually required to maintain motivation. However, the teacher must not give in to the student's desire for "fun" pieces. Often the student's idea of such is popular vocal selections, movie soundtracks, etc. The pieces that one plays should challenge and tone a persons skills. The student should learn something from every piece he/she plays. In addition, in order for a student to be well rounded he/she must play many types of pieces by many different composers from different eras. A varied library of repertoire will increase the student's musical understanding and skill.
Read more about this topic: Music Lesson
Famous quotes containing the word pieces:
“To save the theatre, the theatre must be destroyed, the actors and actresses must all die of the plague. They poison the air, they make art impossible. It is not drama that they play, but pieces for the theatre. We should return to the Greeks, play in the open air: the drama dies of stalls and boxes and evening dress, and people who come to digest their dinner.”
—Eleonora Duse (1858–1924)
“I am grown old and my memory is not as active as it used to be. When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that never happened. It is sad to go to pieces like this, but we all have to do it.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“O what venerable and reverend creatures did the aged seem! Immortal Cherubims! And young men glittering and sparkling Angels, and maids strange seraphic pieces of life and beauty! Boys and girls tumbling in the street, and playing, were moving jewels. I knew not that they were born or should die; but all things abided eternally as they were in their proper places.”
—Thomas Traherne (1636–1674)